Wild Horses
by Nicole Lo
Summary: Marco struggles with his sexuality while competing against his brother, Manny is promiscuous, Jimmy is back from the shooting and drugged up, and Ellie is trying to deal with life without Sean and cutting. The sequel: WH2
1. Untitled

Wild Horses

By: Nicole Lopez

Summary: Marco's brother is now the newest and hottest thing at Degrassi. A total heartbreaker, he can get anyone he wants. But who will it be … Ashley, Hazel, Ellie … And what happens when a little sibling rivalry enters the mix?

"Here's my number." Erica handed Gianni a small piece of paper, while applying a little more lipstick before dropping the tube into her purse.

"I don't know why you just put more one." Gianni took the number from her as it slipped through his fingers carelessly, and pulled her closer to him. Kissing her forcefully, Erica laughed. Soon after, she left and Gianni was both happy and sad. He would be going to live with his kid brother, who he hadn't seen in years. Maybe he would find someone that could fill this void that he'd been feeling. Or even a distraction would work.

"I can't bare to look at him … not like this." Hazel whispered, letting Spinner hug her. It had only been a few days since Jimmy's was shot and the doctors were still unable to release more information. "I just feel so guilty, like I should've been there to stop him from running into Rick. I still can't understand why anyone would do this to him." She continued, a sinking feeling followed Spinner. _He _was part of the reason that Jimmy was in the hospital. He had let Rick think that the paint and feathers was all his idea.

Spinner might as well have pulled the trigger on his own. Forcing himself to look away, he knew what he would have to do. He was going to have to make it up to Jimmy and Hazel at whatever cost, whatever it took. And no one had to know about it because it would ruin everything.

"We've got good news Marco." Ms. Del Rossi announced, setting his dinner in front of him.

"What is it?"

"Well …" Her voice trailed off as her face suddenly broke into a smile. "Your brother is coming to live with us again."

"My …. Gianni…" Marco wondered in disbelief.

"You have a brother? Dude, you never told me that?" Dylan chimed in, happy that the Del Rossi family had accepted him when as more than a friend to Marco, and even after when they were just friends.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Mr. Del Rossi wondered.

"Is he in trouble? Are you guys hiding him out from the cops or something?"

"Marco!" Ms. Del Rossi's eyes widened. "I thought you would be happier to hear this. You used to get along so well when you were younger. I wish I would have known that you would've taken the news so poorly."

" Dylan, I think you should go." Marco's voice got deeper as he tried to hold in what he wanted to say. "Now!"

"I guess I'll see you later. Thank you for dinner." Dylan smiled, respecting Marco's privacy, yet not liking how he was suddenly an outcast to someone who formerly told him everything.

"That was rude." His mother chimed in. "I can't believe how you're acting; first with Gianni and now with Dylan. What's gotten into you? Gianni would not act this way if the situation was reversed."

"What do you expect me to say? My brother's so wonderful and he's so perfect. My parents wish I was just like him."

"Marco that's enough." Mr. Del Rossi warned.

"Marco. That's not true." Ms. Del Rossi pleaded. "We love both of you."

"No mom. I see the way that dad looks at pictures of Gianni … and how your face lights up when he calls or when he's coming back. You guys _never _look at me that way. Ever." Marco threw down the napkin that was in his lap, and ran up to his room knowing that nothing was going to ever be the same, again.

(A/N: I needed something new to write about … just make sure to r/r what whatever and explain how I can make it better. 4 reviews for more. Later. –NL)


	2. Childless Dreams

Chapter Two: Childless Dreams

"This is Degrassi." Marco mumbled, walking away from his brother. He couldn't even believe that they were letting him go to Degrassi High. He had a record, a _criminal_ record. Taking Gianni's silence as a cue to leave, Marco walked off, heading towards his usual crowd, which included Craig and Spinner.

"Marco!" Gianni yelled, picking up something that he had dropped behind, but his brother had no intention of turning around. "Hey you dropped this." Gianni handed Marco his watch, as he took it without saying anything.

"I don't even get a thanks?"

"I would've found it."

"Just like you found your way to that little …" his voice trailed off as Gianni, Craig, and Spinner alike paused, watching Manny Santos walk by in one of those really cute summer dresses that one would only dream about wearing.

"Who is she?" He muttered.

"Leave her alone Gianni. She's already been broken enough." Marco looked over at Craig.

"Yeah, she's used goods now." Spinner chimed in, conveniently neglecting to mention that he had spent the night before making out with Manny at one of Sully's parties.

"Don't talk about her like that. Manny isn't just some object." Marco protested as she, Liberty, and Emma walked up to them.

"Oh behalf of Degrassi High School, we'd like to welcome you." Liberty said, reciting the lines that she was forced to say to every student.

"As a member of Degrassi's Pep Club, we would like to invite you to our monthly Bash…" Emma continued as Gianni's attention drifted back and forth between Manny and Liberty. Liberty would be a chase, Manny would be an easy catch, but fun … who to chose.

"So, hope to see you at the dance?" Manny offered.

"I'd like to take you there if you don't already have a date." Gianni directed his attention to Manny, but Liberty chimed in.

"Well, … all right. I don't really know you that well, but your brother's awesome." She flashed him a smile as Manny shrugged, knowing that he was asking her out. Craig and Spinner held back their snickers until the girls were out of sight.

"Liberty? You're going with Liberty?" Spinner asked between choked laughter.

"Yeah, good luck getting anything out of her." Marco added.

"A challenge is always good." Gianni answered confidently. He was starting to feel that void again and he needed someone … soon.

"Did you see him?" Manny whispered, hoping that they were out of earshot. "He was totally hott and I thought that Paige had just be exaggerating."

"Paige? Since when do you associate with her?" Emma wondered, growing defensive.

"We're on the spirit squad together Emma. Take a chill pill." Manny responded, rolling her eyes. "Don't you think it was totally worth it, having to go over there and talk to him because he was new? What luck."

"We would've seen him around anyway." Liberty joined, not admitting that she had felt like a completely idiot, reciting that speech to the boys.

"You don't sound too thrilled." Emma noticed.

"Yeah, you actually got asked out by someone before I did." Manny added as both girls stopped and looked at her. "I didn't mean it like that. I was jus trying to say that …"

"What were you trying to say?" JT jumped into the conversation, wrapping his arm around Manny's neck.

"Just because we're on speaking terms doesn't mean that I give you the right to touch me." She tried to shrug off his arm, secretly a little ashamed that she was surrounded by Liberty, Emma, and JT, grade 10 dorks that were only holding her back.

"Be nice." JT continued, with Manny barely listening. "I came by to talk about the dance." He added.

"Not now."

"But, I was thinking that we could--"

"Don't make me change my mind." She threatened as JT removed his arm from around her shoulder. "This is my stop." Manny took a shortcut to her next class, happy to get away from them.

(A/N: A little dry, I know, so give me some suggestions. I really want to finish this story for you guys within the next couple of months. So, R/R and tell others about it so I can get more feedback. Much love, -NL)


	3. Graceless Lady

Chapter Three: Graceless Lady

Thanks to: **dancer53** , **13Girl7** and **Marcoskiss** for reviewing. (I would read your story, but I can't find it anywhere.)

"I really don't think your brother is that bad." Manny admitted as Craig joined us, lighting a cigarette. "Since when did you start smoking?"

"Since you caused too much drama in my life." Manny forced herself to smile even though she secretly wanted to kill him.

"I think your brother is cute." Manny continued while Marco rolled his eyes.

"My brother is a jerk. He's a womanizer and no one can see it but me." He responded.

"So, a lot of people say that about me … not with women though. Does that make me any less of a person because I don't wait for some guy to approach me?"

"You're different Manny. You have a heart. Gianni just wants to see how many girls he can get in a day. It's sick, like he doesn't even care about destroying himself and all these girls." Marco tried to explained. "Just promise me that you won't get involved with him." Manny smiled.

"Now why would I want to do that?" She snuck a glance at Craig, trying to see if he seemed the least bit interested in their conversation. "So, you going to the dance?"

"Are you asking me?"

"You wish." Manny rolled her eyes. "I'm taken. Sorry about Ashley though. Poor thing" She bragged knowing that things between Craig and Ashley were less-than-perfect. They were downright awkward.

"Someone actually wanted my leftovers? Who would it be …. Toby, JT … Spinner? No wait, that's already been done." Craig shot back, making Manny feel like she was nothing within a few seconds.

"Chill out you guys!" Marco chimed in, noticing how Manny's eyes were starting to tear up and Craig kept going, walking closer and closer towards her.

"No, I want to hear this. What else do you think about me? Huh cowboy?" She turned away, wiping away the water that threatened to roll down her cheeks.

"You're a slut." Craig dropped his cigarette and put it out.

"I hate you." She shot back.

"You've ruined everything."

"You _took _away everything I had." Craig stopped, realizing how much he had ruined Manny, but had never apologized for it. "I've gotta go."

"No, don't walk away from me." Manny tugged on Craig's arm as he turned around. "Did I ever mean anything to you?"

"No, I mean … I can't …." Craig continued starting and stopping his sentences as Manny followed him, finally getting him to turn around.

"Just think about it." She kissed him softly as a tear escaped her eye, running in the opposite direction before she further revealed what she truly felt.

"Now, she's a ten," Gianni said to Spinner as Hazel Aden walked by.

"Taken." Spinner whispered back.

"It doesn't matter. Never does." He pulled off his shirt, which always worked in the past.

"Dude, don't. That's my friend's girl." Gianni shrugged and continued walking, but was intercepted by Liberty.

"Hey. I wanted to talk to you about that dance." He suppressed a sigh as Spinner pointed and laughed in the background.

"What do you want to know?"

"Well …" Liberty began, going down a list of things. Gianni began to wonder why he had ever opened his mouth. Who cared about what color he was wearing or _what _he was wearing? It wasn't like prom or anything.

"You brought that on yourself." Marco told Manny, who he now had wrapped in his arms, crying her eyes out.

"I didn't think that he'd … am I really a slut? And why is it okay for your brother to do exactly what I'm doing and still have everyone love him?" Marco shrugged.

"It's a 'man's world' I guess."

"It just bothers me that I have to think about whether whoever I'm going out with thinks they're gonna get something out of me. I can't just go out with anyone and have innocent fun. You're the only guy I can truly trust." She admitted, hugging me tightly.

"I love you too hon." As soon as I said it, I felt weird. Maybe that was because Dylan was walking into the parking lot and was within earshot. Or maybe something else was going on with me.

(A/N: Next time: The Big Fall Fling, Jimmy and Hazel drama, someone makes a guest appearance …)


	4. You Know Who I Am

Chapter Four: You Know Who I Am

"Hazel. Hazel." Ms. Aden tried to wake her daughter who had been tossing around in a restless sleep. She had been like that for almost two months, unable to get past the fact that Jimmy had been shot and that he might never come out of the coma he had been in for a while. "Wake up honey." Hazel's eyes fluttered slowly as she realized that it was her mother leaning over her.

"What is it mom?" Hazel grumbled, as feelings of depression overwhelmed her and filled her every bone.

"I've got good news." Her daughter rolled over, turning her back to her mother.

"I don't want to hear it. Nothing can be good when everything I have is falling apart."

"Hazel, don't be so dramatic." Ms. Aden began. "You aren't even listening to what I'm trying to say."

"That's because I know you're going to say it whether I listen or not." She mumbled under her breath, trying to return back to her sleep, which was not better than this, but at least she could imagine that Jimmy was okay and that, well … he would survive the coma.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry mom." Hazel sighed. "Good morning! Do you have something you want to tell me?" She put on a fake face of happiness, not believing that her mother was about to bother her with something so trivial, so unimportant, so not about Jimmy. How could she—

"It's about Jimmy." Ms. Aden began as Hazel turned her full attention to her mother. "He's come out of his coma."

"What do you think?" Manny held up a sleek black dress with a cutting detail that revealed the sides of her torso. "Cute or too much?"

"What's option two?" Marco asked, checking on his hair once again. That was the one thing that he obsessed about more than anything else.

"This." She pulled out a Spanish-flavored red dress that had a rough edge to it with torn chiffon material on the bottom.

"Either would work." Marco admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

"Come on. This means a lot to me … pick one. I can't decide." Manny declared with growing excitement in her voice.

"Why are you so happy to have round two with Craig? You want him to tear you apart again?"

"No. I want to give him a piece of my mind. I don't want him to think that he won something by making me cry … I'm fine with it now." She lied, pulling off her orange spaghetti strapped top and white capris and slipping into the black dress.

"I should've known." Marco smiled, noting that Manny was putting on the dress that revealed more of her body. "Slut."

"Fag." She shot back, as Gianni waltzed into the room. No one had told him that Marco was gay and Marco was hoping that he hadn't heard anything, so things wouldn't be any worse than they already were for him.

"Bro. How'd you get her in your room like that?" Manny quickly pulled on the rest of the dress, trying to ignore the stare that Gianni was giving her.

"I've got it like that." Marco joked as Manny held in a laugh. Marco a playa? Yeah right.

"If you ever wanna share her…" Gianni's voice trailed off.

"I _am _standing here you know."

"And?"

"And you're insulting me. Get out." Manny demanded as Gianni shrugged, knowing that he was defeated, for now, but nothing worth getting came easily.

"He doesn't quit, does he?" She rolled her eyes.

"Not until he's gotten what he wants." Manny walked over to the mirror, noticing how thick and frizzy her hair had gotten since he had done it this morning. Only a flat iron could save her.

This was it, the moment he had been waiting for for months. No one had any idea that he was going to be there except for Hazel who had been completely out of it since the whole Jimmy thing happened. He wondered how they would react … he didn't even know how he'd react if he was in their position. Were they going to greet him? Would anyone even remember him … high school relationships were fickle like that. People were in and out of your lives like that and instantly, were replaced by someone else. Maybe his existence didn't even matter. Suddenly, he was thinking about turning around and going back home.

(A/N: Review, review!! It gets better in the next chapter … Hazel and Jimmy drama, someone's return, and more so stay tuned!! –NL)


	5. You Know I Can’t Let You Slide Through M...

Chapter Five: You Know I Can't Let You Slide Through My Hands

"Enough about you." Marco muttered, as he gave up trying to help Manny straighten her hair. "How do _I _look?"

"Fine." Manny answered without giving him a second glance.

"Is this too much?" She added body glitter to the top half of her torso.

"It's fine." Marco sighed, not able to believe how completely self-centered Manny was being. This night was important to him too. "So, when's JT coming?" Manny paused, later spraying some of J. Lo's new fragrance on herself.

"He isn't," She answered, giving herself one last glance before walking down the stairs. "You're my date now."

"Okay, does he know this?" She shrugged.

"He'll figure it out. I just couldn't handle another one of his immature stunts, you know?" Manny's attention went straight to Gianni, who was staring back. "I'm really not in the mood." She declared, as she and Marco met Gianni at the door.

"Good, because it's not about you." Manny pretended not to be surprised, but her hurt was shown anyway. "Liberty's my date, remember?"

"Yeah. Good luck with that." She laughed to herself. Liberty van Zant had the power to ruin everyone's night without even trying. Poor thing. She always tried so hard to be charming, but it just didn't work. Her social skills sucked.

"What's up with that?" Marco chimed in as Manny headed towards the Del Rossi's new red Mercedes.

"You know what she's talking about …" Marco shook his head as Gianni continued to explain. "The bet." Without being able to go any further, Liberty showed up while Mr. and Ms. Del Rossi bounced down the stairs, eager to snap a few photos of their "favorite son" Gianni. Marco walked out of the house, disappointed, joining Manny in the car.

"What's wrong Sparky?" Manny wondered, growing impatient with waiting on Gianni and Liberty.

"Our family's pride and joy is here. There's no use to even … nothing." Marco stopped himself. Manny had enough of her own problems and issues at home. He didn't need to burden her anymore.

"Well, when can I see him?" Hazel asked, ready to go to the hospital right now.

"Well, obviously not today. You've got that dance to go to and Jimmy's not ready to see anyone else yet." Ms. Aden explained.

"He's ready to see me mom. Do you even have any idea how long I've waited and prayed for this. Allah has finally answered my prayers and I just can't go on with my life without Jimmy being apart of it." Hazel responded heartfelt fully. "He's one of my best friends mom." She added, trying to hide the fact that Jimmy was her boyfriend and that they had done more than just hold hands. Her parents just wouldn't understand it. They barely liked the idea of her having friends of the opposite sex.

"I know this is important to you, but you're going to enjoy this one night. You've been moping around for months."

"Please, mom. I really need to see him." Hazel begged, getting the feeling that her mother wasn't telling her something. "Are there any complications … I mean, is Jimmy all right?"

"Physically, he's one hundred percent but … I'm afraid he's lost his memory."

"Like temporary amnesia, right?" Hazel urged, ready to burst into tears.

"Maybe." Ms. Aden whispered closing the door behind her. Hazel sighed to herself. She'd always imagined Jimmy coming out of the coma and being fine … not … like this. She _had _to see him now.

"May I have this dance?" Craig asked Ashley, who agreed while Manny stood watching. There were a few things that she needed to get off her chest and Craig was going to get a thorough tongue-lashing.

"May I cut in?" Manny wondered as Ashley reluctantly, let go of Craig's hand. "Don't worry hon, I'm not trying to steal him or anything."

"What are you doing?" Craig uttered as soon as Ashley had been swept onto the floor by some other guy.

"I have a few things to say to you … Hope you don't think you got the best of me the other day." Manny shot back, fire in her eyes.

"You can say whatever you want, but it doesn't mean that I have to listen." Craig retorted, not really wanting to be seen in public with Manny.

"Well, first off you're an arrogant bastard and I can't even believe that I had any type of romantic thoughts about you. You don't know how to treat a lady, and you deserve to be lying in your own despair without anyone even pausing to give you a look of pity." She spat out, feeling a little freer with each word.

"Are you done?" Craig wondered, spinning Manny around.

"Well, I do have more--"

"Now it's my turn." Craig interrupted. "You think this has been easy for me … dealing with the _mistake _I made by even looking at you. You're practically a baby." Manny scowled at him, ready to walk off the dance floor right now. "Sorry if the truth hurts."

"No, I can take it. What else is on your mind?" Manny looked down, avoiding his eye contact. If she looked him directly in the eyes they would betray everything she had said earlier. If he was drowning in his own despair, she would die trying to save him from it.

"I don't know what delusional part in your mind actually made you think that I loved you or even wanted to have a relationship with you. It was just sex … not even good sex." Manny freed herself from Craig's grasp. "You wanted the truth babe."

"I'd thought you'd be able to deliver it with a little bit of class." She shot back, realizing that the smell she had smelt on him earlier was alcohol. He had been drinking.

"It's more than you've displayed. And anyway, you were never good for anything else. So what do you say we…" Craig hinted towards the back door pulling Manny closer towards him and kissing her lustfully.

"I- I …" She stuttered as Gianni walked in out of nowhere, taking her hands and dancing with her a while before she walked off the dance floor and into the hallway. He followed. "I didn't need your help. I had it under control."

"Yeah and you were going to find some back corner and be back in fifteen minutes, right?" He shot back, overwhelmed with how beautiful she looked, even when she was almost in tears.

"It would've taken five." She admitted, continuing to walk down the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Gianni ran faster, walking into step with Manny.

"Wherever you're not." Manny narrowed her voice, just wanting a quiet corner where she could cry.

"Why are you so against me?"

"Why are you chasing after me so much? I know what it's like to lust after something you can't have, but just leave me here. You're not getting anything out of me, okay Gianni." He shrugged, starting to turn around and walk away until he heard her soft sobs.

"You okay?" Manny shook her head quietly, needing some type of mistake or something to erase everything Craig had just said to her. "Can I help … I'll go get Marco."

"No. Let him enjoy his night." They stood in silence before Manny commanded "Come here." Staring deeply into each other's eyes, Gianni couldn't resist. He kissed her lightly as she almost moaned at how beautiful it was.

"Don't tell Marco." Manny returned the kiss silently as both engaged in an act of confusion, lust, and sin.

(A/N: Manny's fallen into the gap. Will she be just another conquest? And what about Liberty … make sure to review with suggestions and what you want to happen!! And these chapter titles come from the song "Wild Horses" remade by Jewel orginially by the Rolling Stones. –NL)

Special Thanks to:

dare2breathe

ReRe04

nothingleft

OCDdegrassi

Meg

Jen

Ragdoll


	6. Wild Horses Couldn't Drive Me Away

Chapter Six: Wild Horses Couldn't Drive Me Away

"What a long night." Manny laid down across Marco's lap as Gianni dropped Liberty off and silence filled the car.

"So where did you disappear off to?" Marco wondered, realizing that he and Manny barely spent ten minutes together at the dance and they always stuck together.

"I told Craig what was on my mind." She looked up at Marco.

"And?" He wondered.

"And he's a total dumbass, just like you told me." Manny forced herself to smile even though just thinking about what Craig did had almost ruined her completely. If it wasn't for Gianni …

"So, you needed to recoup?"

Manny looked over at Gianni, who was watching from the front seat. "Huh?"

"You needed some alone time, right?" Marco asked, noticing that something was weird.

"Yeah. I spent most of the night in the bathroom, crying." She responded, detached. It actually wasn't a lie either. After Gianni left, she couldn't bare to go back out there or even look at herself.

"What's that smell?" Marco wondered, sniffing around.

"I don't smell anything." Manny lied, knowing that she desperately needed a long, hot bath after what had happened.

"Well, it's starting to bother me. Gianni, down the windows." His brother obeyed, which only made Marco more suspicious.

"So, my mom made me come to this stupid dance, but I didn't expect you to be here." Hazel answered, giving Sean a huge hug. "Are you just going to wait out here or are you actually going to go in there."

"I kinda like it out here better. It's quieter." He responded as both laughed. "Why don't you want to be here?"

"Isn't that obvious? What's a dance without Jimmy?" Sean looked down, wondering what would have happened if he'd been able to stop Rick from shooting Jimmy without actually killing him.

"But he's alive, right?"

"Yeah and totally out of his coma, but I'm stuck here because my mother wants me to forget about it. She must've forgotten what it's like to be in love. I can't go on without knowing that he's okay." Hazel admitted.

"And if he isn't?"

"Then maybe I won't go on." Hazel sighed as Sean nodded.

"I know what you mean. I probably should have told Ellie that I was back, but … somehow it just seems wrong to just disrupt her life like that. And Emma's. I don't want to tear away the pieces again. Not now." Sean and Hazel stood for a few more moments standing out in the cold, looking up at the Degrassi Community School sign.

"Then don't." Hazel suggested. "Come to the hospital with me. Come see Jimmy. He'd love to have guests." She added even though she didn't know what he was thinking since he really didn't have a _memory _anymore.

"You sure you want to do this?" Hazel nodded, hopping into Sean's car and not giving the school a second look.

"Can you pass me a towel?" Manny yelled, from inside Marco and Gianni's shared bathroom. Ready to end her hour-long bath.

"Finally, you've been in there all night!" Marco joked as Manny smiled a small smile to herself. "Hold on a sec." Marco walked downstairs to the linen closet near his parent's bathroom.

"Yeah, here you go." Gianni walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

"What are you doing in here? I was talking to Marco, you know." Manny tried to cover up herself, but relaxed realizing that the bubbles nearly went past her shoulders.

"You didn't specify." Gianni smiled.

"Well, now I have. Get out! You've got what you wanted from me." Manny responded, knowing that he held all the cards.

"Actually … it was dark." Gianni sat down on the closed toilet seat.

"So? What else do you want?"

"What's sex without the naked body?" Manny scowled.

"You perv." He held out the towel for her, but pulled it back as she reached for it. "What do you want?"

"You know what I want." Gianni stared intensely into Manny's eyes trying to ignore the feeling that was telling him that she was … more than all the other girls had been.

"Unlock the door!" Marco yelled from behind them, banging on the door.

"Looks like trouble." Gianni whispered. "So what will it be?"

"The towel." Manny stood up out of the tub, snatching the towel from Gianni's hand as he watched in pure amusement. "Thank you." She retorted, trying to ignore the look that Gianni was giving her. "Now, you'll leave me alone?" He nodded as Marco burst into the bathroom from his brother's room door.

"What's going on here?" Manny quickly wrapped the towel around the rest of her body with Gianni helping her out of the tub.

"I don't need your help." She snapped, walking into Marco's room, while ignoring his question and his stares.

"What's going on Gianni?" Marco asked again.

"I don't know, but she is one hott babe." He smiled, pushing past his little brother and walking into his room.

"You didn't … with him…" Marco's voice trailed off as he sat beside Manny who had let water drip all over his carpeted room.

"Nothing happened. I just got him to leave me alone for good." She admitted, her voice monotone.

"And what did you do?"

"I got out of the tub." She peaked around at Marco, whose eyes lit up.

"Scandalous. And that was it?"

"That's all it took." Manny lied, trying to ignore the fact that she hated lying to someone who had never been anything but honest to her.

(A/N: How was that? Tell me what you think … and I'll try to add in more of that sibling rivalry thing into it. Review!! –NL)


	7. You Suffer a Dull, Aching Pain

Chapter Seven: You Suffer a Dull, Aching Pain

"I think this is the way." Hazel snuck into the hospital room, even though it was way past visiting hours.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Sean wondered skeptically.

"Do you know of any other ways … then we'll take my way." Hazel sighed, wanting some answers from Jimmy and wanting the comfort of knowing that he was okay.

"Whatever." Sean gave in following Hazel into the hospital. "Wait." He began. "Do you even know where Jimmy's room is?"

"No. That's why I brought you along. Go find out."

"What are you doing down here?" Gianni asked Manny who had poured herself a small glass of wine and was now taking small sips.

"You're supposed to stay out of my life. Why are you still here?"

"I live here." Gianni shot back. "And I couldn't sleep."

"Good. What you're doing to Liberty isn't right. She doesn't deserve to be treated like she's nothing." Manny declared.

"Liberty's not a child." Gianni answered.

Manny took another sip from the glass. "It looks to me like you're going back on our agreement. Are you?" Manny wondered, noticing how serious Gianni looked all of a sudden.

"Because I'm relaxing in my own house? You have a home, don't you?" Manny gave Gianni a death scare, hopping off the stool.

"I'm going to bed."

"Hey. Wait." Gianni stood in front of Manny, blocking her path. "There's something I wanted to give you." He offered.

"If it's anything like you've already given me, no thanks." Manny replied as Gianni proceeded to kiss her anyway.

"Do you want to change that agreement? I could make you very happy." Gianni guaranteed, as Manny slowly backed away.

"Nite Gianni."

"Jimmy," Hazel whispered unsurely with Sean trailing behind her. "It's me."

"Who's there?" Jimmy sat up unable to sleep. He hadn't slept in … he didn't know how long, but every time he tried he'd get flashes, as if he were having a nightmare, but he was still half-awake.

"It's Hazel … and Sean." She answered.

"Hazel?" She turned on the lamp beside his bed, as Sean closed the door behind them. "I think you're in the wrong room."

"No, I'm not Jimmy. Listen to me. You go to Degrassi Community School. You're in grade eleven. We've been dating for eight months now and we started dating back in grade 10."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jimmy shook his head as if he were trying to remember that life, but somehow couldn't.

"You were-"

Sean cut Hazel off. "I don't think he's going to remember Hazel. Let's just go."

"No! I need him to remember." Her eyes started to tear up. "You don't know what it's been like seeing him in a coma, waiting to see if he would live or die … if he'd be paralyzed or normal."

"It's clear to see that he's not himself Hazel. Just let it go." Sean demanded.

"No, get off me!" Hazel pulled away from Sean. "I just want you to know that whatever happens …" Hazel walked closer to Jimmy's bed. "I love you. I'll be waiting until you get out of this so we can start over, okay?"

"Are you getting up or do I have to pour water over your face?" Manny asked Marco who was completely knocked out. She walked into the bathroom, got a small plastic white cup, and filled it with water. "You so deserve this." She smiled, climbing onto Marco's torso. "five, four, three, two, one"

"Ahh! What the hell?" Marco yelled, sitting up immediately as Manny laughed. "What'd you do that for?"

"I'm going shopping in forty-five minutes and I need you to drive me to the mall."

"Yeah right." Marco laid back down.

"Please?" Manny pouted.

"Go ask Gianni." Manny rolled her eyes. "Well at least get off me then. Someone will get the wrong idea." Marco stated.

"Like women are that awful. I mean, seriously … I'm not attractive at all?" She joked, rolling to the opposite side of the bed.

"If I was straight, I'd totally do you but …" Marco's voice trailed off, noticing how intensely Manny was looking at him. It kind of reminded him of Dylan when he used to look at him like no one else in the world mattered.

"But?" Marco shrugged as the phone rang. "I'll get it." Manny rushed down the stairs, battling Gianni for the phone. "Give it to me."

"No way. What if it's Liberty or someone?" He asked.

"Then you'll figure out a way to wriggle yourself out of this. This could be someone for me." Manny yanked the phone from him and rushed up the stairs while answering the phone. "Hello. Del Rossi residence." She answered in her sexiest voice.

"Yeah. Uh, is Marco there?" Instantly, Manny recognized the other voice on the line as being Craig.

"Craig? Why are you calling here?"

"Why are you hanging out there?" He shot back. "I called to talk to Marco. I don't have anything to say to you."

"Not even an apology? You so owe me one." Manny demanded.

"And you so need to get off your high horse. Don't you get it Manny, you mean nothing to me? Absolutely nothing. So go find some other guy to straddle and stalk. I'm through with you." He replied harshly.

"Do you even realize…" Her voice cracked and she instantly stopped talking. "Marco can't talk to you." She hung up the phone abruptly, wiping away the tears that had already spilled across her cheeks.

"Who was it?" Gianni asked, instantly noticing that Manny was crying.

"I've gotta get out of here." She choked out between sobs as Gianni followed her out of the house.

"Those are my keys." He noted as she barely made it to the passenger side of the car.

"Am I really that pathetic?" She wondered, not really talking to Gianni. "I mean, why didn't I see it before?" He walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Was that Craig?" She nodded as she walked her over to the porch.

"I should've known …" Her voice trailed off as that feeling of loneliness overcame her again. There was nothing that she could do to get rid of it, but she could subdue it for a while. Kissing Gianni softly, Manny tried to push all thoughts of Craig away from her mind.

"I thought you didn't want anything to do with me." He responded.

"I lied." She kissed him more lustfully this time. Manny took his hand, running back into the house and finding an empty room far enough away so that Marco wouldn't be able to hear anything.

"Is this what you want?" Gianni questioned as she tossed him onto the bed, making sure that she was on top.

"Just kiss me." She replied, resorting to this … high …. This feeling that would make her forget her pain and only remember one thing … what it felt like to be loved. The only thing she wanted to hear was the sound of Gianni screaming her name.

(A/N: So what do you think … I know it needs more and you'll get more next time. Just make sure to review and thanks to all that have already done so for previous chapters! Con amor. –NL)


	8. I Have My Freedom

Chapter Eight: I Have My Freedom

Hazel walked to Sean's car, completely torn apart by what she had just witnessed. Everything that she had imagined her reunion with Jimmy to be was only a fantasy. And she knew that now. Jimmy didn't even know who she was.

"I'm really sorry Haze." Sean apologized as she continued to stare straight ahead, not willing to let anyone see her cry. She had already torn apart her image with her helpless display back then, and with one mention of it, Sean could completely ruin her life … which was quickly unraveling.

"I don't need your sympathy so save it."

"I was just trying to help." Sean added.

"You can't. You can't bring Jimmy's memory back … and maybe no one can."

"What's your deal?" Liberty van Zant asked Gianni, who she had finally tracked down after a few days of being avoided.

"Hey Libs." Gianni gave her a hug, trying to pretend like nothing was wrong … like he hadn't been cheating on Liberty.

"Don't hug me. I want to know what's going on." She demanded.

"Nothing? You're hearing rumors about me or something?" Gianni opened his locker and took out a book.

"Yeah and they concern you and another girl … multiple girls." Liberty added.

"And?" Gianni shrugged looking back behind his shoulder.

"If you're cheating on me then there's no use in us being together." She responded.

"We went to a dance together Liberty. Don't make it a big thing baby." He shot back.

"You did have sex with Manny, didn't you?" Gianni kept walking as to not provoke a response, unaware that Marco had heard her last statement and was becoming increasingly suspicious.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were coming back?" Ellie asked Sean who was visiting Degrassi for the day.

"I didn't know how you'd react. I-" Sean was cut off as Ellie wrapped her arms around him.

"I've missed you so much." She admitted truly heartfelt.

"Me too." Sean took this moment to forget all the negative things that happened and how he didn't want to ruin her life. Right now, he just wanted to be apart of it.

"So, how long are you staying for?" Ellie asked, her eyes searching his like a child who didn't want to lose their father.

"I don't know if I am staying." Sean tried not to look directly at Ellie. "We're on break at WB and I just wanted to come here…"

"Oh. That's cool." Ellie nodded, slowly backing away from Sean. Somehow, she expected them to pick up right where they left off, but it wasn't happening that way. Too many things had happened and maybe it was too much for them to try and repair.

"So, Manny's been sleeping with Gianni?" Marco wondered, seriously thinking about changing his plan to go check out a few colleges in California during Spring Break.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Liberty wondered bitterly, trying to hide the fact that it was killing her that she just couldn't seem to find anybody or even pretend like she had someone to "love."

"It doesn't mean anything. I'm just a little shocked, I guess." Marco admitted, waving her off and immediately going to search for Manny.

Manny walked took a left, instead of a right, hoping to get out of Ms. Kwan's fourth period advanced English class. She had so many things on her mind and stuff that she wanted to straighten out … and seeing Craig looking completely untouched by their off and on again break up.

"Where is Marco?" She asked herself. He was supposed to be here to give her the keys to his car, or Gianni's car … anything so that she could just get out of here.

"I don't know, but I'm here." Gianni said, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here? Stalker!" Manny whispered, half-jokingly, hoping that they wouldn't get caught. Students weren't allowed in this part of the school and the late bell was going to ring in a few minutes.

"I saw you here and wanted to talk to you about something."

"Dude, you can see me at your house." Manny responded.

"So, when are you going to go back to your own house anyway? What's going on with your family?" Gianni joked, punching Manny on the shoulder.

"Why are you being such a jerk?" She wondered, not wanting to tell anyone about why she was staying with the Del Rossi's. Manny was grateful that they had let her stay with them as long as she wanted.

"It was just a joke. Chill out." Gianni replied. Manny crossed her arms over her chest. "Besides, I know the real reason that you're staying with us is because of me."

"What?" Manny shook her head.

"No, seriously. Just admit it baby. I've got the stuff." He continued lifting up his shirt and revealing perfect abs.

Manny laughed. "You've got to be joking me." She shook her head. "I just want to get out of here, so give me the keys." Manny demanded, not having enough time to wait for Marco to show. Gianni dropped the keys in his back pocket.

"Take 'em." Gianni held out his arms as Manny held back a smile. She'd never admit it, but being around Gianni was becoming comforting somehow. She wrapped her arms around him, fishing for the keys. As soon as she got them, Manny was ready to leave … before anything happened. "Wait." Gianni kissed her intensely, with her hands still halfway in his pockets as she almost lost sight of what she came here to do.

"Later." Manny whispered, looking at the ground and backing away slowly.

(A/N: This is only half of part one of chapter eight. (actually one of three parts) It doesn't really seem like anyone is reading, but I like this story! Let me know how I can get more people to read and make it better … Next time there will be a Gianni-Marco confrontation and after that a Manny-Marco confrontation. I think I know where I want to go with this story, but you've got to tell me what you think, okay? –NL)

**Chapter Eight: Part Two **

Manny walked took a left, instead of a right, hoping to get out of Ms. Kwan's fourth period advanced English class. She had so many things on her mind and stuff that she wanted to straighten out … and seeing Craig looking completely untouched by their off and on again break up.

"Where is Marco?" She asked herself. He was supposed to be here to give her the keys to his car, or Gianni's car … anything so that she could just get out of here.

"I don't know, but I'm here." Gianni said, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

"What are you doing here? Stalker!" Manny whispered, half-jokingly, hoping that they wouldn't get caught. Students weren't allowed in this part of the school and the late bell was going to ring in a few minutes.

"I saw you here and wanted to talk to you about something."

"Dude, you can see me at your house." Manny responded.

"So, when are you going to go back to your own house anyway? What's going on with your family?" Gianni joked, punching Manny on the shoulder.

"Why are you being such a jerk?" She wondered, not wanting to tell anyone about why she was staying with the Del Rossi's. Manny was grateful that they had let her stay with them as long as she wanted.

"It was just a joke. Chill out." Gianni replied. Manny crossed her arms over her chest. "Besides, I know the real reason that you're staying with us is because of me."

"What?" Manny shook her head.

"No, seriously. Just admit it baby. I've got the stuff." He continued lifting up his shirt and revealing perfect abs.

Manny laughed. "You've got to be joking me." She shook her head. "I just want to get out of here, so give me the keys." Manny demanded, not having enough time to wait for Marco to show. Gianni dropped the keys in his back pocket.

"Take 'em." Gianni held out his arms as Manny held back a smile. She'd never admit it, but being around Gianni was becoming comforting somehow. She wrapped her arms around him, fishing for the keys. As soon as she got them, Manny was ready to leave … before anything happened. "Wait." Gianni kissed her intensely, with her hands still halfway in his pockets as she almost lost sight of what she came here to do.

"Later." Manny whispered, looking at the ground and backing away slowly.

**Chapter Eight: New Part**

"Wait up Ellie." Sean ran after her, noticing that she looked even more worn and deflated after talking to her. "I just want you to know that I apologize."

"You apologize?" She wondered as Sean nodded. "For what … leaving me alone to pay the rent, completely writing me out of your life, or do you just feel sorry for me? I don't need your pity."

"Fine. See you around." Sean muttered out of a mixture of anger and hurt. With their first encounter, he thought things could finally go back to normal. He had left his wild days behind at Wasaga Beach and wanted something real. Too bad Ellie wasn't willing to forgive him and love him with his imperfections.

"Wait Sean." Ellie ran after him this time, taking his hands unsurely in hers, knowing that it was killing both of them to be away from one another.

"You weren't at the dance last night Haze." Paige noticed, finally freed from her relationship with Spinner.

"I was there." Hazel answered, applying a little lip-gloss on her lips before leaving the bathroom.

"Well you weren't hanging out with me." Paige replied. "So, what happened last night?"

"I just didn't feel like being there. It all reminded me of Jimmy and that costume party dance we had." She covered, walking into Ms. Kwan's class quickly, hoping that she could somehow lose Paige in the crowd of students that were taking advanced English.

Paige sat down in one of three available seats and Hazel's only choice was to either sit behind her or across from her. To sit across from her would seem like she was trying to avoid Paige.

"Class!" Ms. Kwan yelled, seemingly elated about something. "Class." She repeated, clapping her hands to get their attention. Hazel slid into the seat behind Paige wondering what new "creative project" she was excited about having them do.

"We have a new student …" Her voice trailed off. "Actually, it's a returning student. Jimmy Brooks." Hazel's jaw dropped as she noticed how lost he looked when everyone began to cheer. He scanned the room, looking for a familiar face and somewhere to sit.

The only person that he seemed to slightly remember was … Hazel who had visited him recently talking about how much she loved him. What a psycho. He didn't even know her, but he was going to have to sit beside her anyway.

"You slept with her." Marco stepped in Gianni's path, fed up with his brother taking everything that meant something to him and ruining it.

"Yeah. Did Liberty tell you?" Gianni wondered, shrugging off Marco's anger.

"That was really foul of you." Marco continued.

"Why because I got the girl and maybe you're too feminine to realize that chicks aren't your type." Gianni shot back, not wanting to waste his time fighting with his little brother. Marco always seemed to have beef with him and for no reason.

"What are you saying?"

"You know what I'm saying. I guess Manny just realized it too." Gianni shrugged, walking into gym class.

"Gianni." Marco called back as his older brother turned around.

"What?" Before Gianni could barely get out his reply, Marco had punched him in the jaw. Gianni smirked. "You sure you want to do this?" Another hit was his response as both brothers were throwing punches at each other across the gym.

Chapter Eight, Part Three:

"I couldn't believe it when I heard it, but this is just too much." Manny hid back a smirk, as she walked into the Del Rossi house with Marco in front of her and Gianni behind her. She hadn't even gotten to leave the school grounds before Gianni was calling her cell phone and she was being sent to the principal's office for skipping.

"What were you guys thinking … fighting like that?" Ms. Del Rossi chimed in disgusted. She was so outraged by her son's behavior that she didn't even ask why Manny had been sent home too.

"It was nothing ma." Gianni answered.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Marco avoided Gianni's gaze, trying to get over his hurt pride. Gianni was practically unscarred, but he had a black eye and a bloody nose.

"I don't know what could have caused this. You guys have always gotten along so well." Ms. Del Rossi continued. "We've got to get you cleaned up … before your father gets home."

"I'll help." Manny offered looking directly at Marco who could only give her a cold stare.

"Don't bother. You've already done enough." Marco pushed past his mother and ran into his room.

"What's his problem?" Manny wondered, laying a warm wash-cloth over a part of Gianni's face that looked like it was starting to swell.

"He found out about you and me."

"How?" Manny put the cloth back in the bowl of water, sitting on the bed with her back to Gianni. "Who told him?"

"I guess there were rumors going around or something." Gianni shrugged.

"So now I'm about to lose my best friend because …" Manny stopped talking as Ms. Del Rossi appeared at the door.

"I think you should go see Marco."

"So … you know me?" Jimmy whispered to Hazel who had been anxiously awaiting the moment that she could talk to him.

"Yeah … do you remember anything?"

"Just when you came to the hospital." Jimmy admitted, feeling so detached from his current situation, but desperately wanting to know where he fit into his world.

"We're all happy you're back." Paige explained, butting in. "And I think we should celebrate."

"That's Paige." Hazel

"Oh. Hey."

"We're having a party at my house, nothing too big and invite only. You should come." Paige smiled at Jimmy who still looked a little confused.

"Ummm, we'll see." Hazel tried to get Paige off of Jimmy's back, secretly wanting to spend all the time she could with him. She promised herself that she'd do anything for him and she was going to … starting today.

(A/N: At least four reviews before I add on, so start typing! Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading and has been encouraging me to keep going. –NL)


	9. Tears Must Be Cried

Chapter Nine: Tears Must Be Cried

"How are you holding up?" Manny wondered, walking into Marco's room unsurely. It was so strange how she used to walk into his doorway and feel welcome and so comfortable. Now, all she could feel was paranoia, a sense that she was dodging bullets.

"What do you think?" Marco shot back. "You know I always trusted you and never thought that you would lie to me."

"I knew you'd take it for more than it was. Marco, it was just sex. Gianni is just another guy that I've slept with. That's all. It doesn't have to change anything between me and you." Manny pleaded, feeling their friendship slip out of her hands.

"No Manny. You just don't get it! How can it be the same? It can't. Every time I have something … anything good in my life, my brother comes along and takes it away. If I didn't know you he wouldn't have pursued you like that." Marco sighed. "And you fell right into the gap. Well, tell me how does it feel?"

"How does what feel?" Manny wondered, sitting beside him as he got up suddenly.

"To be the school slut? To know that all your value lies with one body part?" Marco continued as Manny slapped him suddenly.

"Whatever the hell is wrong with you, fix it. I'm sorry that your brother beat you to it. I know there's an on-going competition between you guys, but you're gay. Keep that in mind." Manny responded shaking her head. "I already told you how I feel about you and I can't do anything else about it. The least you can do is respect me for whatever decisions I've made." She turned away, walking out and leaving Marco feeling like he was the one that had lied and essentially ruined their relationship.

"Where you going?" Gianni wondered, walking out of his room as soon as he heard Manny's footsteps start down the stairs.

"I've gotta get outta here!" She yelled back at him, running for the door.

"Let me come with you." Gianni offered, meeting her face to face.

"No, I think I'm fine alone." Manny whispered, reconsidering living with the Del Rossi's. Everything seemed perfect at first, and it was, but maybe she was better off with her father. At least there she wasn't tearing apart someone else's family.

"Don't listen to whatever my brother said. He still has love for you," Gianni said while hugging Manny slowly.

"I'll be back later." She replied, prying herself from his arms and trying to pretend like everything would be fine. Manny just couldn't believe that she'd lost her best friend in a period of two minutes.

Emma Nelson walked into their local Walmart, not really there to shop for anything in particular. She just needed to get out. Something about sending Sean some of the most intimate letters she'd ever written, without any word back was bothering her. Yet, Emma had convinced herself that she was completely and totally over Sean, which was only partially true because there was still one thing she was missing … closure. And in a few moments, she was going to get it.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Hazel asked Jimmy after coming over to his house and picking him up in her car.

"Yeah. Everyone seems cool…" His voice trailed off as they pulled in front of Paige's party house. It was huge.

While he gawked at it, not realizing that his family was one of the most rich in the entire town, Hazel hopped out of the car. This was not how she wanted to spend her time with him, but on the same hand, she just wanted him to be happy.

"Are you going to sit here and stare?" Hazel asked as Jimmy snapped back into reality, ready to make his debut. This was the thing he had been waiting for, a chance at normalcy in his life.

"Did you get my letters?" Emma wondered, after she had spotted Sean in the music section, while she followed him around for a little while.

"Emma?" Sean turned around slowly.

"Is that all I get? Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm here."

"Emma … I just wasn't expecting to see you, or anyone for a while." He explained.

"Are you hiding from all the trouble you've caused at Degrassi?" She wondered, falling into step with him.

"I'm just not ready to talk about anything yet." Sean continued, noticing the weird tension that was evidently growing between the two of them.

"Well, I'm ready to hear it! Why did you _really _leave? And did you" Ellie paused, looking down to gather her thoughts. "Did you even _look_ at all those things I sent you?"

"I did." Sean whispered. "I just didn't know how you'd react if you saw me here." He sighed as Emma moved in to hug him. Somehow, the warmth of his body was suddenly making her feel a million times better.

"Are you … ready?" Ellie's voice asked from behind Sean before either he or Emma got to enjoy their reunion rather than yelling at one another.

"Yeah." Sean dug his hands into his pockets while Emma slowly pulled away.

"Ellie." She whispered.

"Did I interrupt something here?" Ellie asked, looking back and forth between Sean and Emma, her eyes searching for something that would reveal the truth.

"No. Sean and I were done here." Emma watched him intensely while Sean added, "Let's go."

"I don't even know if I should be talking to you about this." Marco commented as he began to pack. He hadn't told Manny what was going on, yet planned to until he discovered that she was the biggest liar he ever met. Now, he was back to square one, with Dylan, which wasn't so bad. At least he'd get to spend his week off from school looking around at nearby colleges and celebrating his birthday with the first person he loved.

"Yeah, well you need someone to talk to and Manny is obviously _not _the one you want to see." Dylan responded.

"But I just can't believe that she would go behind my back like that? Everything I've ever had in m life, my older brother has taken from me."

Manny searched through her wardrobe, looking for something that was humble and modest, nearly impossible to come by in her closest filled with Gwen Stefani and Britney Spears knock-offs. Manny sighed her to herself, trying to hurry up.

She didn't want Gianni to come upstairs to see that she was actually leaving. Somehow, she thought that if she left, things at the Del Rossi house would mend themselves and Marco would come home sooner from his vacation.

"Goodbye Del Rossi house." Manny whispered as she quietly walked out of the house, closing the door behind her.

"I can't believe that you actually wanted to come here Jimmy." Hazel complained, realizing that he was only half-listening to her. Since the whole shooting thing, Jimmy had been deemed a hero around Degrassi and everyone was so excited to see him, especially the girls.

"Hey Jimmy." Madison waved, stepping in between Hazel and Jimmy while hooking herself onto his arm.

"Excuse me, but this is _my _date." Hazel informed her as Jimmy looked back and forth between the two girls.

"We're just saying hey Hazel. Chill." Jimmy grabbed a small shot of … something off one of the counters and chugged it down in two seconds flat.

"I'm going to the bathroom. I'll catch you later, okay?" Hazel sighed, unable to believe how much Jimmy's personality had changed. She knew that he would be different, but it was almost as if everything she loved about him had been ebbed with the firing of the bullet. When they were together … they had agreed that he would stop drinking.

It had almost gotten to the point that every time she came over to his house, he was holding a beer or something in his hand. And that's not how she wanted to live her life … chasing after someone who had absolutely no control over themselves and was so dependent on the substance that it became the main relationship in his life, not them.

Hazel turned around slowly before she got to the bathroom. She couldn't just let him wither away after he'd fought so hard to get her parents to … accept him. Hazel walked slowly to where Madison and Jimmy were, noticing that they were now on the dance floor.

"Jimmy!" She yelled, willing to do whatever was necessary to fix things. "Jimmy!" Hazel yelled again, but he either didn't hear her or didn't care to look at her. And as she moved closer to them, she could see why. Madison was completely all over Jimmy, kissing him passionately.


	10. I Want You

Chapter Ten: I Want You

Manny pulled out the key, which she had not used in over a year. "Home sweet home." She said sarcastically, opening the door to a dark house. The kids were probably out and it was too late for her stepfather to be anywhere else but home. "Is anyone here?" She wondered, walking up to what used to be her old room.

It was eerily just as she had remembered it. Manny held on tight to the doorframe, trying to relinquish the memory of the last feeling she felt while being in here. Her step-father had told her that she was going to have to give up the baby. And everyone thought it was Craig's but …

"Well, well, well … look what the cat dragged in." Jacob Bloomberg began sneaking up behind Manny, hovering over her and making her feel like an insecure child again.

"I'm not here because I couldn't handle it. I'm here because my mother would want me to live in my own household. Got it?" Manny questioned her step-father, trying to sound like she knew what was going on, like she was in control, but both of them knew that she was not.

"And I'm just supposed to let you come back here. Live here without payment."

"How much do you want? I have cash." Manny stripped the sheets off the bed, desperately wanting to tear apart everything in the room.

"There's only one thing you can do for me." Jacob grabbed Manny's shoulder, forcing her to face him.

"What are you doing?" She gasped as Jacob threw her onto the bare mattress, tearing and violating her. Manny frantically attempted to fight back and scream, but he was much too strong … like he had been that time he had gotten her pregnant.

It was as if the world was spinning. Hazel knew everyone was looking at her, waiting to see what he reaction was. All she felt like doing was running away and crying her heart out, but that would get her nowhere. She'd spent the past few months doing that. "I'm outta here." She whispered under her breath, avoiding everyone's questioning eyes and pretending like she didn't hear Paige calling after her.

"Where are my keys?" Hazel wondered, searching through her purse, completely not thinking about how Jimmy was going go get home, but rather how he could go back to Madison after everything. Hazel could just see them together now … her black curly hair and deep caramel skin contrasting with his.

"How could he?" She yelled, choking on her own tears. "Where are my keys?" Hazel repeated as they almost magically dropped into her hands. "Thanks." Hazel whispered, looking away from Sean and frantically trying to hide her tears.

"You don't have to hide from me Haze." Sean reassured her.

"Yes, I do. Do you know how humiliating that was for me in there? I sat around and waited for so long for Jimmy to be able to live and when he can, he doesn't want it to be with me. Do you have any idea what that's like?"

"Yeah." Sean whispered. "I have ever since Emma decided she didn't want to be apart of my life anymore."

"Stop it!" She yelled, realizing that her nightmare was becoming a reality. "Don't! Don't!" Manny continued screaming, unable to hear the footsteps that were getting closer and closer to her room.

"Manny! What the hell are you doing?" Gianni charged at Jacob, knocking him away from Manny who was still shaken up by what had happened. Realizing that someone actually knew her secret, she attempted to pull herself together.

"You think you're tough, huh?" Gianni yelled, punching Jacob a couple of times and letting him fall to the floor. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He kicked Jacob in the stomach, as Manny wrapped one of her long-sleeved jackets around her body.

"Just leave him alone, okay?" She whispered, before Gianni could kick him for a third time. "Let's go." Manny pulled Gianni away.

"Are you alright?" Gianni wondered as they walked out off the house.

"What do you think?" She sniffed. "And how did you get here anyway?" Manny continued, noticing that she only saw her car in the driveway.

"I was in your car." Gianni responded, looking over at Manny who looked torn and tattered. "I think we should get you to a hospital."

"Oh yeah?" Manny answered. "I can handle myself. I've been through this before so I know what I'm doing." She quickly wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face.

"Does Marco know about this?" He wondered.

"Yeah. But if he actually gave a damn he wouldn't have left me, you know?" Manny continued her tough girl act, desperately wanting to break down and cry.

(a/n: Keep telling me what you think and please back it up with examples. "This story is boring" doesn't help, so if you hate it explain why and if you love it I want to know. –NL)


	11. Let’s Do Some Living After We Die

Chapter Eleven: Let's Do Some Living After We Die

"You really should call her." Dylan said to Marco who had just picked up the phone and then hung it up, slamming it into his bag.

"No. I'm not going to. She's owes me the apology, not the other way around," He responded stubbornly.

"From what I hear she really needs you." Dylan added, noticing how mopey and depressed Marco seemed with Manny in his life.

"Like I haven't heard that before. Manny does not care about me." Marco responded as Dylan directed Marco into the production room.

"We're here." He commented, knowing that he was wasting his breath talking to Marco about this. He was seventeen years old and had to learn things the hard way.

"But I just don't get it. Why Gianni? If it was Craig, I wouldn't care and I even told her that. Why would she do that?" Marco ranted as Dylan shook his head and sat down in one of the nearest chairs. This was going to take a while.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Gianni asked Manny, following her into her room.

"And say what? Do you want me to tell you how I feel about it?" She wondered as Gianni nodded. "I'm not going to do this. I'm just going to get out of these clothes and …"

"And let him get away with it?" He finished for her.

"I don't want people to pity me and it's not that big of a deal. What's done is done. Let's just forget it happened, okay?" Manny started gathering her things for a nice, long bath. She knew it would never wash away the feeling or erase her memory of what had happened, but at least she could pretend that things were good.

"I know you can't forget it Manny. Is that why you go sleeping around, afraid to let anyone really get to know you?"

"What?" She turned around suddenly. "Are you calling me a slut?" Manny held her breath surprised at how much his words stung. She never let people that she didn't care about get to her like that and she didn't care about Gianni …

"No … I've just heard about this before … how rape victims--"

"I was not raped okay." Manny lowered her voice, staring Gianni squarely in the eye.

"So, what it was consensual?" He shot back.

"I don't know what you think you saw, but it was nothing. I'll never go back there and nothing like that will ever happen again. It's over Gianni. I just need you to be a friend, or whatever the hell you are to me right now, and agree with me. I'm right about this." Manny convinced herself, upset that she was even crying at all around him. She hated feeling weak and vulnerable, but somehow she always ended up in situations that made her feel like that.

"It's just that—I really c—" Gianni looked down torn. This was not the time to hint at his possible feelings for her that he wasn't even sure of. Instead, he replied, "I can't let you let him destroy your life. That bastard raped you and—"

Manny looked down, shaking her head while saying, "You know what … you need to get the hell out of room right now before I really lose it."

"So, this is it." Sean lead Ellie into the place that he was staying, as she opened her eyes to a dimly lit room, smiling surprised.

"Wow. Sean, this is beautiful." Ellie sighed, noticing that there were rose petals everywhere and that he had made dinner. "I thought we were just going to hang out."

"Well, we are." He hugged her suddenly. "I just wanted you to know that I'm here for good."

"What?' Ellie turned around suddenly. "I thought it was temporary …"

"Yeah, it was." Sean cleared his throat. "But I promised I would never leave me and you promised that you wouldn't cut again. I just couldn't break that promise, especially when I knew that you were going so well."

"Wow." Ellie forced herself to smile again, ignoring that gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach. What Sean didn't know was that she had been cutting … no more than four days ago. But, he didn't need to know because if he was going to be there, then she had no reason to ever cut again.

"Who could that be?" Paige wondered, rushing to her front door, pretty sure that everyone had gone home by now. It was five in the morning and her parents had come in and stopped the party early anyway. 3AM. Who only has a three hour party? "Who is it?" She asked, hoping that her parents were in one of their famous deep sleeps.

"It's me." Hazel sighed as Paige opened the door surprised. This was supposed to be Hazel's night with Jimmy and not only were they separated, but she looked awful. Opening the door, Paige questioned, "What happened? Didn't you go to the party?"

"I went." Hazel looked down, sighing. "Can I just stay here a while?" She wondered, tired of driving around aimlessly, yet knowing that it was too late to try and go home. Her parents would trust her more if she just said that she was at Paige's house and had gotten in a little late.

"Have you been crying hon?" Paige led her to the living room.

"No." Hazel dried her eyes quickly. "Yes, but it's not what you think. Everything's okay now."

"Did something happen with you and Jimmy?"

"No. I just found out some things that I needed to know." Hazel began. "It's officially over between him and I and I'm completely over…"

"What's going on?" Jimmy wondered, appearing from the back.

"I was just leaving." Hazel whispered, instantly standing up.

"Is it because of me?" Jimmy responded as Hazel's steps slowed down.

"What?"

"Is it because of me?" He repeated.

"Of course it's because of you. And how you acted tonight. I've never seen that side of you … ever. Maybe you're not the person I thought you were." Hazel finished with a sad smile. "Maybe my parents were right."

"Come on Haze. It was just a mistake. Jimmy didn't mean it and he was drunk and--" Paige chimed in.

"That's just it. The Jimmy I _knew _would've never been drinking in the first place. He wouldn't have treated me like I meant nothing. But you wouldn't know anything about that life would you?" Hazel slammed the door behind her, happy to get everything off her chest, but immediately breaking down in tears as she sat in her car until dawn broke.

Ellie rolled over happily now face to face with Sean and very much in love all over again. All the did last night was have dinner together, but in those few hours, she had found out everything she needed to know about Sean and things were going to get better. She knew it.

"Good morning honey." She whispered, brushing his hair out of his face. For once, Sean looked like he didn't have so much on his mind, like he could just lay there with Ellie forever.

"Hmm." Sean rolled to the other side, eventually opening his eyes. "Did something … happen last night?" He wondered.

"You wish. We just hung out and we got some things cleared up." Ellie smiled brightly. It felt good to finally mean something to someone and to have everything fall into place for once.

"Don't you have something to thank me for?" He asked, gesturing to a small ring that surrounded one of her fingers on her right hand.

"Wow." She responded as Sean pulled her in for a hug, as all the demons that had made her start cutting again seemed to disappear. Ellie would never need that kind of reassurance again because she had Sean.

"I'm going to go take a shower." Ellie smiled, placing the ring on the counter before heading to the bathroom.

"Hey, wait. I think you dropped…" Sean's voice trailed off as he reached down to pick up something that vaguely looked like a knife. But it couldn't be. Ellie was beyond that. She promised … Sean forced himself to pick up the shiny object and it was no use in denying it. Ellie was cutting again.

"You think you can just wash it away Manny?" Gianni yelled behind the closed door as she tore off what was left of her clothes. Throwing them into a corner, she never wanted to see them again. It all reminded her of too many things she didn't want to hear about.

"Why don't you just go away?" She begged, the tip of her toe touching the hot, almost scolding water. It was just hot enough to draw her attention away from anything else.

"Just let me help." Gianni pleaded.

"How? You're going to go beat the shit out of him some more … so he'll have a reason to come after me again. It's over. I'll just find somewhere else to stay, okay?" Manny calmed down once she heard Gianni's footsteps walking away.

"Finally." She whispered, unable to shake her sudden depression and fatigue. "It's not like it was that bad." Manny muttered, remembering times when Jacob had beaten her so much that she could barely stand. And then there was the time that he had … "No."

She forced herself to stop rethinking about the past. Her past was shitty and she knew it. And by the looks of things, her future wasn't going to be much better. "It's the only way." Manny sighed, taking out a pack of pills in her drawer that she used every night. It helped her to forget the nightmares. But only this time, she was using them not to sleep tonight, but for an external sleep—the only way that she would be able to find true peace.

To come:

She wasn't that naïve and knew what going "upstairs" meant. "Spinner. You're drunk. Go away." She demanded as they had a mini fight which ended in Spinner having his drink thrown in his face and inevitably backing off. What surprised her more than anything was that the person who had always been there for her suddenly wasn't. It was as though he didn't exist or matter to her anymore.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Stop pushing. You're asking me for too much … . I'm afraid of how you'll treat me when you realize that I don't love you."

"Something that I should've done instead of wasting my time." He kissed her lustfully letting all of his inhibitions go and acting on his conflicting feelings between her and another. He took her by the hand as she allowed herself to be dragged along.

"Do you think she knows?""How could she? She just thinks I've been drinking." He pulled two joints, revealing a new obsession, anything that would make him forget how he got here in the first place.

"I just need you to be a friend to me. Can you do that?"

(A/N: When I get five more reviews I'll add on, so read it! –NL)


	12. Wondering Why I Got Out of Bed at All

Chapter Twelve: Wondering Why I Got out of Bed at All

"Come on Jimmy, it's getting late." Hazel begged. Somehow, they both decided to stay together, and she was still hoping that the old Jimmy would come back.

"Just a sec." Jimmy walked over to the other guys and motioned for the key. He was going for the record.

"Jimmy let's leave. _Please_." Hazel nagged as he shrugged her off and the chanting began. "Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy…" Pushed back into the crowd, Hazel found herself more and more distanced from her boyfriend as she eventually made her way out of the party scene. Bad things always happened like this and now …

"Where are you going?" Spinner wondered, eyeing Hazel deeply.

"I'm waiting for Jimmy." She tried to shrug off that weird, uncomfortable feeling that she was getting. It was just Spinner and as much as he was an idiot, he'd never do anything to mess with Jimmy.

"Why don't you come upstairs with me—I mean until Jimmy's done in there?"

"No. I'm fine." Hazel backed away as Spinner continued to pressure her. She wasn't that naïve and knew what going "upstairs" meant. "Spinner. You're drunk. Go away." She demanded as they had a mini fight which ended in Spinner having his drink thrown in his face and inevitably backing off. What surprised Hazel more than anything was that the person who had always been there for her suddenly wasn't. It was as though Jimmy didn't exist or matter to her anymore. And she knew that the only one who would get that was Sean. Maybe he'd be able to tell her something she didn't already know.

"Sean." Hazel knocked on his door, tears beginning to overflow and interfering with her ability to see clearly.

"Haze. Is that you?" Sean arrived at the door half naked with concern on his face.

"I'm really sorry to come here and interrupt whatever's going on with you and Ellie, but … I think it's really the end of Jimmy and I." She made her way into his shared apartment. "I mean he was totally wasted tonight and then this guy …" Her voice trailed off as Sean hugged her genuinely.

"Are you coming back to bed?" Ellie wondered, looked back and forth between Sean and Hazel, curious as to what was going on.

"In a sec." He turned around briefly, immediately focusing his attention back to Hazel.

"I should get going." She whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm really sorry."

"Wait. Haze." Sean reached for her, but she was already gone. He sighed. "Elle, what'd you have to go and do that for?" He asked angrily.

"She's always coming around here. Too much. You're my boyfriend." Ellie admitted, hating that Sean's attention wasn't 100 focused on her anymore.

"That's right. And you're the most important thing to me. Hazel's just a friend." He walked past her, going to sleep. It turned out that living with Ellie again and … _almost_ sleeping with her was a nightmare. She was more needy and insecure than ever.

Two. Four. Six, Manny began to count the remaining pills she had left. There were only twelve in the bottle, but it was probably just enough to do the trick. They were extra strength. Manny smiled to herself, a sweet blissful smile as she popped the first two pills into her mouth.

In between sobs that she couldn't seem to stop, she began to pop in three and four as Gianni burst open the door.

"Manny. I can't—" He stopped himself, realizing what she was attempting to do. "What the hell is going on?"

"Great." Manny laughed to herself. "Can't you let me do anything without interrupting?" She dropped the remaining pills onto the bed, laying back. It was over before it even really began.

"Y-You weren't thinking about doing what it looks like, were you?" He wondered, rushing over to her side and sat on the bed.

"No. I was in the process of doing it." Manny snickered. "But here comes my Hercules to the rescue, once again ruining the only thing that would've made my life worthwhile." She turned away from him, desperately trying to wipe away the tears that he had no doubt seen.

"So you're not okay." Gianni whispered, stroking Manny's hair caringly.

"Don't touch me." She backed away sighing. "And stop looking at me like that. I won't do it again." Manny promised unable to look into Gianni's eyes.

"How do I know that? You could just flip out one day and decide to shoot yourself or some stupid shit like that. This is not the way." He explained.

"Hmm … shooting myself. That would've been more effective. No doubt." She responded sarcastically. "Seriously, quit with the pep talk. I'm done." Manny threw her hands up.

"Go to counseling." He demanded.

"Why?"

"If you promise not to ever try anything stupid like this again and go to counseling, I won't say anything to my parents." Gianni pleaded.

"Or Marco?" Manny looked at him intensely, almost childlike, her brown eyes shining with anticipation. Her eyes suddenly flooded with tears again as she struggled to keep them from rushing down her cheeks.

"Yeah." Gianni looked back at Manny, scooping up the pills off the bed and began to walk out of the room. If he had it his way, he'd scoop her up in his arms and rock her to sleep until she forgot this day even existed. No one deserved this.

"Why do you care?" Manny yelled back.

"Huh?" Gianni stopped, confused.

"Why do you care so much?" She repeated.

"Because you're too gorgeous and innocent to be corrupted like this, to die like this." Gianni almost ran out of the room before her expecting stare made him admit to things that he had only thought about in his dreams … his subconscious.

_Seven months later… _

Manny kissed Gianni passionately. He had been there for her when Marco had not and now that she was in counseling, her life seemed like it was back on track, maybe even better.

"This is so beautiful." She whispered, holding onto his bare arm and looking out past the porch swing onto the setting sun.

"I know. You still want my body." Gianni joked as Manny lightly pushed him. They had become really close lately, but she still didn't know what to consider him. Whatever he was to her, Marco didn't know about it and he didn't need to. He had apologized to her and things were back to normal. Almost.

"You know I'm not like that." She joked, playing with his stomach. Manny loved how every part of his body was toned and perfect. And she would know. Lately, things between her and Gianni had been really powerful … and physical. Even though it was painful for her at times, she didn't want Gianni to think anything was wrong … she didn't want to talk about what happened with Jacob because it happened. It was in the past and she would never make that mistake again.

"Hey Manny!" Marco started to yell as Manny jumped nearly three feet, instantly separating herself from Gianni.

"Sorry." She whispered, kissing him quickly before greeting Marco at the front door. "What's up?"

"Are you going out with me or not?" He wondered.

"What, you're asking me out?" Manny joked as they walked to his car.

"Yeah right slut." Marco shot back, still on the rebound from Dylan. He just didn't get it. He didn't understand …

"Whatever fag. You know you want it." Manny laughed, hugging Marco tightly. "Now, where to? A gay club?"

Marco shrugged. "No. We can go to a regular one."

"Can you at least hear me out?" Jimmy wondered, starting to feel more and more like he knew what kind of person he _was, _but still having a hard time discovering that path to that person.

"I'm giving you an easy out Jimmy. The past four months, you've been partying every weekend, bringing me to them as if that's what I'm about. When you know I'm not." Hazel responded. "Look at you." She pointed to a large gash across Jimmy's eyebrow.

"Don't turn this conversation into what happened last weekend. It's not like I died." Jimmy shot back, pushing Hazel's hand away from his cut.

"You were driving drunk Jimmy. That's really serious."

"So what are you saying? That I'm too much to handle? That you wish I was still in that coma." He screamed emotionally.

"Of course not. But," Hazel paused. "I think we're too estranged from one another and I don't get you anymore. Nothing lasts forever." She reached out slowly for Jimmy, who surprisingly let her hug him. "Goodbye." Hazel whispered, looking down as she walked away. Somehow, she imagined that letting go of Jimmy was worthwhile, and she'd even talked herself into it. Yet, now she felt so confused as though her entire life had changed.

"What the hell is this?" Manny charged at Gianni throwing down a bunch of legal papers speaking of a charge against Jacob that she had never agreed to.

"It's going to put him behind bars for what he did." Gianni responded, pulling a clean shirt over his head.

"But this isn't okay. I don't want to be involved with this." Manny tried to explain calmly. She'd let Gianni talk her into counseling, but this was way too much.

"You already are." He shrugged, wrapping his arms around her body and laying his head on her shoulder, kissing her neck. Manny loved that feeling, but she'd never admit it to Gianni.

"Have you lost your mind? Marco will know." She closed the door behind her, not willing to let this entire situation replay itself under similar circumstances.

"You have to tell him sometime. Marco's bound to notice that rock on your finger eventually." Gianni continued, drawing the attention _away _from what he had done.

"Whatever. But why did these come here? Did you say something?" Manny wondered, heated as Gianni attempted to kiss her and calm the situation.

"I'm taking care of this." He promised.

"But it's my problem to handle. I thought that if I went to counseling, you'd let me clear this up on my own terms. We agreed to that Gianni."

"You weren't _doing anything_ and I couldn't let that asshole get away with it again. You mean too much to me." Gianni paused, holding his breath for a moment. "I love you Manny." He tried to kiss her again, but she pulled away.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Stop pushing. You're asking me for too much … and now this court thing … Marco's helping me move into the guesthouse." She blurted out, without thinking.

"Since when? Is it because I love you Manny and I'm trying to protect you?"

"You can't be there with me every moment of the day! I have to learn how to be strong on my own and right now … it's just too much." She began to walk backwards toward the door.

"I think you're just copping out. You're terrified that you might feel something back." Gianni challenged.

"No. I'm afraid of how you'll treat me when you realize that I don't love you." Manny sighed, placing the ring on Gianni's chest of drawers before walking out. In some sick way Jacob 'loved' her too.

"Do you think she knows?" Paige asked as soon as Hazel had walked away. Somehow, Jimmy had convinced her to come to his house for a "talk" but she saw Paige there and got the wrong idea.

"How could she? She just thinks I've been drinking." Jimmy pulled out two joints, handing one to Paige. "Besides, she doesn't really care anyway."

"No." She shook her head. "I'm trying to quit."

"Whatever." Jimmy shrugged, walking towards the back of his house.

"I just need you to be a friend to me. I'm over this Jimmy, all of it." Paige explained as Jimmy shrugged again. "Say something. Are you quitting?"

"Hell no. I'm just trying to have fun." Jimmy responded.

"Come on. I know you better than that. Why are you doing this? What are you feeling?"

"Nothing." He lied, walking into his house, slamming the door behind him. Paige didn't get it. She bailed on him. Hazel was too selfish to think about him anymore. If this was what his life was like before, no wonder why he missed having amnesia. The only thing that would numb this pain, that Jimmy didn't want to admit to having, was a nice high.

"Yeah." He forced himself to smile, thinking about who he could call over for some fun. No one wanted to be alone.

"I should've been there for you Manny." Marco apologized, as he helped Manny to pack her things into his father's guesthouse.

"But you're helping now. I couldn't have done this without you and your family. You've been everything to me." Manny hugged Marco tightly as all the old feelings she used to have for him resurfaced and completely filled her. "And I'm really sorry about Dylan."

"Don't be." Marco walked away from Manny, looking for one of his father's hidden bottles of wine. "Bingo." He placed the bottle onto the counter. Marco had already been drinking, evidently, but Manny knew what it was like having a broken heart and she was in no position to tell him that drinking wouldn't make him feeling better. She always turned to sex for that, and this was his way of letting out all of his pain.

"Avoiding the situation or trying to get me drunk?" She joked glad that the heaviness of talking to Gianni yesterday was easily evened out by Marco's light nature.

"And why would I do that?" Marco poured a little wine for himself, almost instantly chugging it down, even though he knew it didn't take much for him to get drunk.

"Because I want you and you should take advantage of that." Manny flirted, knowing that this would never go anywhere. It never did. She'd invited Marco into the world of a straight man numerous times, but he was still madly in love with Dylan and she knew it. She looked away suddenly, feeling insecure again and just wanted someone to hold onto her, which would temporarily make her happy.

"And if I said …" Marco poured more of his wine and took another large gulp. "Come here slut." Without giving her a chance to move, Marco swooped her up and kissed Manny passionately. If there was one thing he had learned from Gianni, it was that sex and alcohol were the only things that could numb out the pain of a broken heart.

"W-Wh-What are you doing?" Manny breathed heavily, caught up in the astonishment of the moment.

"Something that I should've done instead of wasting my time with Dylan." Marco took Manny by the hand, leading her into the already-furnished bedroom as she allowed herself to be dragged along. Marco kissed her lustfully letting all of his inhibitions go and acting on his conflicting feelings between her and another.

Nervously, Manny's eyes began to tear up as she experienced a mixture of giddiness, sadness, and anger. Ignoring it, it all arose as a giggle while Marco gently laid her down on the bed. He kissed her slowly, gradually progressing as Manny consented unable to stop herself from moaning, and ignoring the awkwardness of the situation … the emotional bruises that had been re-salted once she had her reunion with Jacob. This is what she'd always wanted and no one would ruin it … not Jacob or Gianni.

(A/N: I know this was an extremely long chapter, but it was well-worth it, don't you think? It's going to be coming to an end soon tear> but I will have a sequel, only if you guys express interest. What next? So do something! Say something! Review! And if you want a sequel, I would like 45 reviews for the whole story. Thanks. Much love. –NL)


	13. Amor Me Duele Tanto

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from this story unless they aren't regulars on the show. (like Gianni) **

Chapter Thirteen: Fasten Me to Your Side

"Ah-huh." Manny sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes. It was the middle of the night and she still couldn't fall asleep. Somehow sleeping with Marco had just made things more complicated rather than simplifying them, like she thought it would. And what would happen next? What did it mean?

"You're up." Marco commented looking as though he were already showered and dressed. He was always the one that got up earlier, out of the two.

"I guess so." Manny whispered sitting up. "So … um … what was that?" She wondered, referring to his complete reversal in sexual orientation. "I mean, did you—"

"Like it?" Marco finished for her looking down. "I don't know. It was kind of …"

"Weird." Manny nodded. "But a good kind." She added, even though it was really awkward to her. "So, d-does this mean that we're more than friends now or was it just a one time thing?" She wondered trying to cover up herself because Marco was looking at her so deeply … as though he were looking _through _her. "Would you say something because this is quickly turning into awkward?"

"What do you want me to say?" He asked as Manny stood up, the sheet from the bed wrapped around her. "Is it going to be like this now?" Marco asked, referring to Manny's sudden modesty around him.

"Huh?"

"You used to walk around me naked and now you're so self-conscious about everything … is it because of what happened a few months ago?" He walked over to her concerned.

"No. It isn't and I really just need you to …" Manny's voice trailed off as she allowed Marco to hug her, noticing that Gianni was looking in through the window. "Kiss me." Her tone changed suddenly as she let the sheet drop to the floor, forcing herself to feel something for Marco that she wasn't even sure existed, while marveling in the fact that she was giving Gianni a dose of his own medicine. That would teach him to pry … and try to force love, as if it could really survive, into her life. "Hmm." She smiled. She was doing just fine without it.

* * *

"I think you need to talk to Jimmy." Paige told Hazel, who had been hard to find lately because she had been avoiding her former best friend. 

"That's nice, but why would I care what you think?" Hazel shot back, lashing out for all the times she had just sat back and been quiet, letting Paige and her problems take precedence over everything and everyone.

"Look Hazel, I know you hate me right now—that you seriously hate me, but--"

"No buts Paige. Just get to the point." Hazel started applying some mascara, glad to finally let out some of the tension and anger she'd been feeling lately.

"I think Jimmy has a drug problem." She spat out out of concern.

"That's silly. If anything, he has an alcohol problem." Hazel replied.

"Seriously Haze. Jimmy and I have been getting high lately and—I've quit, but he doesn't want to. He's using them to escape his life and I think he needs you. Desperately."

"Why should I give a damn about him Paige? Seriously. Jimmy is not who he used to be. And it's time that we go our separate ways and find out who we are." Hazel began, looking down at her more modest clothing.

"Come on Haze. He's headed down the wrong path and you know it." Paige pleaded. "Please. I think he needs your help."

"I don't care. I really could care l…" Hazel's voice drifted off as she opened the bathroom door to see Jimmy hanging out with Jay and other well-know "stoners." And there was Madison, wrapped in his arms as they made out, not caring about Degrassi's 'hands-off' policy. "Looks like he doesn't need me at all." Hazel shrugged, sick and tired of walking. Although when they finally crossed paths, she could've sworn at he was looking at her, almost _crying _out for her.

* * *

"So what do we do now?" Manny wondered pulling up to Degrassi Community School. All of a sudden, she felt different. Maybe it was the way Marco was looking at her or the fact that she was evidently **glowing**, but she never thought she'd be able to feel like this. She finally got what she wanted. 

"I don't know … what are we now?" Marco wondered, feeling all new to this situation.

"We're dating … maybe going out." Manny began as Marco kissed her suddenly. "All right, we're definitely going out." Marco kissed her again, as Manny finally got the hint. "Okay, I'm all yours. I'm your girl." She smiled, as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way." Smiling shyly, Manny forced all thoughts of Gianni out of her head until … he showed up in front of them.

"Hey Manny." He greeted her as she pulled away from Marco, who had moved onto kissing her neck.

"Hi … I'm going to talk to him okay?" Manny told Marco who nodded, too blind to see that there was something going on between her and his brother. "I thought I was doing a good job of avoiding you, but I guess not. You just always seem to be there, popping out of nowhere."

"Is this going anywhere?" Gianni interrupted.

"Yeah. It's heading towards leave me the hell alone because I'm having sex with your brother." Manny stopped and smiled. "I saw you lingering outside our window."

"I was not lingering. I came to give you a housewarming gift." Gianni covered.

"Whatever. I just think things are better this way." She lied knowing that falling for a guy like she was falling for Gianni always led to heartbreak.

"I disagree. And anyway, I sent in your court papers. I figure you were busy last night--"

"You did _what_?" Manny stopped suddenly.

"I'm taking care of you, okay? Jacob will never hurt you again." Gianni promised, hugging her tightly.

"No. You just … you have some sick agenda and I'm not in the mood for it Gianni. Do you have any idea of what you've done? I want this to be over, I don't want to relive it." She explained, running her hands through her hair.

* * *

"Ellie. Have you been cutting?" Sean asked from behind the bathroom door, as if she could hear him anyway. Somehow, he was preparing himself for the worst, trying to avoid the inevitable. 

"What Sean? I can't hear you." She stopped the water, wrapped a robe around her small body and peeped out through the door. "What is it honey? Wanna join me?" She joked.

"No. This is serious." Sean began. "Let me see your arm."

"What? This is ridiculous. I've got nothing to hide." She lied.

"Then let me see your arm!" Sean demanded, almost yelling.

"No Sean. It's nothing." Ellie tried to close the door back, but Sean intercepted. Grabbing her arm, Ellie's robe fell open.

"Ellie…" His voice trailed off as he noticed that not only were her arms completely sliced, but the upper part of her legs as well. "How could you …"

"You think this is my fault?" She practically yelled, struggling to cover up her body and scars. "You have no idea Sean … what it was like. I couldn't take living with my mother. You _knew _that," Elli said accusingly.

"Ellie … I never knew you felt this way …"

"Don't play that card with me Sean. You knew how much I _needed _you, but you didn't care. It was all about you and what you wanted, so I did what I had to do to survive, to make myself feel better."

"But this isn't the way Ellie. You promised." Sean walked away, getting ready to pack. He didn't know where he was going to go, but this was getting too heavy and he knew that he could no longer help Ellie. "You can't bank your happiness on me. You need to find it without me."

"But I don't want to. I've lived without you long enough. And as long as you're here, I'll never do it again." Ellie started picking up the razors that Sean had exposed, and threw them in the trash. "It's over." She rushed over to Sean, holding onto his waist for dear life.

"You're right. It is." Sean opened the door to reveal a disoriented Hazel. "Haze." He whispered looking back and forth between the one he loved and a girl who was quickly becoming one of his closest friends.

"Don't." Ellie begged as Sean took a step towards Hazel, hugging her. And he did what he always did when things got to be too hard or complicated—he ran.

* * *

"So Jimmy we're hanging out at your place tonight, right?" Madison wondered, trying to get his attention. Instead, he was completely focused on Hazel. It was the third time this week that he had done that, and who knows how many times the week before. 

"Huh?"

"You and me. Your place."

"Can't." Jimmy spat out, watching Hazel hug Sean. He hated that. He hated how Sean was the hero all of a sudden, how he got everything—

"Jim-my!" She whined as he pushed Madison out of his lap.

"What!"

"Why don't we go somewhere and you give me a massage?" She suggested.

"Come again."

"Let's go." Madison forcefully, grabbed Jimmy and lead him out of the cafeteria as Hazel looked on pretending that she didn't care even though she really did.

* * *

"This can't be happening." Manny whispered to herself. She checked her calendar and everything … her period was supposed to have come on and left already. "I cannot believe this." She continued pacing back and forth. What was she supposed to do? Marco was sitting in her bedroom waiting for her, and she was dealing with this. 

"Hey, what's going on in there?" Marco knocked on the door as Manny opened it suddenly.

"Nothing." Manny lied. "I just … forgot something downstairs. I'll be right back." She ran down the stairs and straight for the del Rossi household. This was Gianni's doing. "Gianni! Gianni!" She yelled, only to find that he was sleeping on the couch. "Wake up." Manny demanded, shaking him a little. She sighed, remembering when she woke up next to his side and how he held her so gently after that Winter Formal disaster. He was always so—

"What woman?" He mumbled, opening his eyes.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered as he sat up, fully awake now.

"What? When?" Gianni asked excitedly as though he knew it were his. Knowing that this would only screw up what she had wanted for so long, Manny added without being sure, "Marco and I are going to be parents."

* * *

"I don't care. I don't care. I don't care." Hazel kept repeating to herself as she wa tched Jimmy and Madison disappear, only to arise a few minutes later completely tousled. Madison's hair was swinging in all types of directions and Jimmy's shirt looked like it had been torn. "I don't care. I don't care. I don't care."

"Looks like someone is losing it." Madison laughed as she pulled Jimmy closer to her by his belt buckle, trying to kiss him, but he turned away.

"Go sit down, okay? And leave Haze alone." Jimmy sat down next to Hazel, stroking her shoulder gently. "What's up?"

"Not this." Hazel walked away. She couldn't stand to see Jimmy with anyone that wasn't her and this was ironic because she'd spent so much time thinking about how she was going to get rid of him. Now she was back to square one—wanting something she couldn't have.

(A/N: This story is coming to an end and I'm glad. I get so confused writing all these Degrassi stories that I have to re-read what I've already written to keep up. Anyway, just make sure to tune in because Manny's going to have a choice to make, Gianni's real feelings surface, and Ellie's life becomes a disaster! Oh, yeah and this is the **next to last chapter. **If you want a **sequel**, I want **45 reviews** or more—just so that I know that someone's reading and someone cares! –NL)


	14. Llorar por Ti

Chapter Fourteen: Llorar por Ti (Cry for You)

"Jimmy…" Hazel whispered as he opened the door, surprised. If it had been anyone else messing with his high, he would've freaked out on them, but it was her … Hazel, the only reminder of his past left in his life.

"What are you doing here?" He wondered as she looked over his shoulder to see the line of cocaine sitting on his living room table.

"Jimmy, I can't believe this. I thought Paige was joking." Hazel began, at a loss for words.

"So you came here to reprimand me and tell me what a horrible person I've become?" He responded.

"No. I wanted to see … how far gone you are … and I want to know if we can make it work." Hazel looked down, almost ashamed of her feelings. The last few months spent without Jimmy had been more than she could bare. Seeing him with Jay and Madison … kids that only _used _him, she knew that something had to be done. She couldn't just let him self-destruct, even if he was only **half **the man he used to be.

"You … wanna make it work?" Jimmy asked, hope in his eyes for the first time since his accident.

"Yeah." Hazel smiled to herself. "I love you Jimmy and I can't be apart from you. We'll get through this." She walked into his house staring down his stash.

"If you want some of it, I can't let you do that to yourself." He started. Jimmy was already starting to twitch and his tolerance for the drug was getting higher and higher … that's why he had been thinking of trying something new.

"And I can't let you kill yourself anymore." Hazel turned around, tears streaming from her eyes. "That's why you've got to make a decision." She hugged him tightly. And kissed him before giving him the ultimatum, "The drugs … or me."

"How far along are you?" Gianni questioned Manny, ignoring the stinging realization of the situation. His brother was about to run off with the one girl that actually meant something to him—more than something. Everything.

"A couple of weeks." Manny answered, trying not to look at Gianni. She knew that he was just trying to cover up his hurt feelings, but he wasn't the only one hurting … though she'd never admit that to herself.

"How do you know you're not just late? That happens all the time." Gianni reassured Manny who shook her head firmly.

"Not to me. I'm pregnant Gianni and this is not a time to go around on 'what ifs.' There's nothing you can do." She started playing with her hair, in order to avoid looking at Gianni.

"Well, how do you know it's Marco's? I mean you and I had sex the same night. It could've been either one of us." Gianni looked at Manny expectantly.

"No. I just know it's Marco's. Trust me." Manny got off his bed suddenly, memories of their semi-relationship overwhelming her. She had never felt so much for someone she'd know for barely a year. It was really too much—that's why she didn't want to come to terms with the fact that Gianni and Marco had an equal chance of being the baby's father.

"Do I repulse you that much!" Gianni shouted out of nowhere.

"What? No …I-I .." Manny gasped for the right words to come, but couldn't find them.

"Manny, I'd give everything for you and that baby. Anything, and you know it. I would love you and protect you more than my gay brother ever could." Gianni ran up to Manny, holding onto her shoulders and _forcing _her to look at him.

"Oh, so that's what this is about, your competition with Marco. Leave it alone. I'm sorry the gay boy makes love better than you do!" Manny yelled, almost satisfied with the fact that she was hurting him. That way, he'd leave her alone and let her make her own decisions. "And I know that the only reason you care is that you can't wait to get back in my pants, but guess what … it's not gonna happen." She promised.

"Is that all you think of me?" Gianni let go, all of his energy drained out of his body. "I just want you for sex? I'm using you? Please Manny. We both know that you're the one that's using me. You've got control. I'd do whatever you wanted me to--" Gianni protested, angry at himself for getting so emotional and caught up in Manny like this.

"Bull shit Gianni. You've had your eyes on me since you came back here. I'm just a nice piece of ass to you."

"How can you say that Manny? I've loved you …" He sighed, thinking of how to get this out. "I _love _you and I won't let him have you. I won't let you destroy our lives and keep me away from our child." Manny shook her head, disappointedly and started to walk away. "Just tell me that you feel the same way, that you feel _something_." Gianni pleaded.

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"It would break Marco's heart." Running down the stairs because she could let Gianni see any of her tears fall, Manny rushed back to the guesthouse. Everything was changing way too fast for her these days.

"Please Sean, just listen to me." Ellie begged, against all of her better judgment. She never used to be needy, clingy, or even jealous … all things that she had been feeling a lot lately, like Sean was her one lifeline or something.

"We agreed it was over." He spoke softly and Ellie just wished that she could see him face to face.

"You made that decision, but I'm ready to fix it." Ellie held back tears. This emotional pain was getting way too much for her to bear and she had already starting cutting again this morning.

"What's happened to you Ellie? You never used to be this way … you used to have substance, you used to be your own person."

"I don't apologize for falling in love with you Sean, but you have no right to come into my life, shake things up, and leave me with the broken pieces." She spat out, growing a hint of her once fierce, fiery spirit.

"For once in your life, stop blaming everyone else. Your mother was the reason why you cut … now I'm the reason. That's not healthy Ellie. Maybe the real problem is yourself. I just want to forget this Ellie." Sean hung up the phone, not wanting to hear her beg anymore. It was painful, even for someone who was completely over their relationship.

"Okay. Have it your way." Ellie whispered listening to the ringing dial tone before deciding to do anything else. "You will remember me now." She sighed, cutting deeper and deeper into her wrists before slashing a major artery. Ellie fell back suddenly as the knife dropped from her bloody hands and she lay, dwindling between life and death.

(A/N: So that's the end … I'm hoping that you guys want more, but if not, cool. I just need to start a new story to clear my own thoughts and get things going. If this **sequel** does happen … and I'll need **45 reviews **for that—it was probably be called We Belong Together or La Tortura.)


	15. La Tortura: Wild Horses Two

Wild Horses Two: La Tortura

By: Nicole Lopez

Chapter One: I Didn't Mean it

"Are you serious?" Jimmy asked sniffing and looking back at Hazel. "You can't be serious." He rephrased his earlier statement looking back and forth between the coke and Hazel.

"As a heart attack." She responded. "Doesn't my love mean anything to you?"

"Yeah, but this …" Jimmy started to shake his head. "I don't know."

"It's cool." Hazel started to walk away. "I didn't think you were ready for this relationship anyway." Hazel answered, unable to hide her disappointment.

"No. Wait." Jimmy called after her. "I'll … try."

"Really?" Hazel embraced him excitedly, afterwards making sure to take Jimmy's cocaine with her. As he left he shrugged. It wasn't really working for him anyway. He'd already put in an order for something new …

Manny headed for the shower. It had been two months since she had told Gianni that she was pregnant with Marco's baby. She smiled. The idea of being a mother and not having anyone _force_ her to kill her child was comforting. Stepping into the shower, Manny pushed away thoughts that were really bothering her. Her court date was today and she was planning on telling Marco what was going on. But he was bound to notice. Manny wasn't really showing, but it was obvious that her stomach was slowly expanding each day.

Stepping into the shower, Manny began to think about how she was going to break this to Marco. She didn't even know where he was, but she was planning a special dinner for the night. Just she and Marco.

"Coming in." Marco announced as he opened the sliding door and climbed in. Her adrenaline increasing, Manny turned her back to him. Marco couldn't find out that she was pregnant. Not like this. Anyone with a brain would know—

"Don't I get a kiss?" Marco wondered, moving closer to her and kissing the side of her neck.

"Of course. Where you have been?" She asked, trying to act completely normal, even though her heart rate was racing like crazy.

"I went to get you something … for our dinner tonight." Manny nodded, trying to make up an excuse, but unable to come up with anything.

"Really? That's so nice." She responded, distracted. "I should probably get going."

"Hey, what's the rush?" Marco wondered, holding onto Manny's waist. Releasing herself from his grasp, she rushed out of the bathroom.

"Manny. Manny, is there something you want to tell me?" Marco obviously knew something was wrong.

"I'm pregnant." She looked down, almost as if she was ashamed, but in reality Manny just wanted acceptance from Marco and she didn't know how he was going to react. "But, now's not the time to discuss this. I've got a case to get ready for." Manny finished before Marco could even express what he was feeling.

"Remind me again why we're here." Jay began as Sean shrugged. He wanted to make sure that Ellie was okay. She sounded so depressed and fragile. Leaving her right then, wasn't the smartest thing that he could've done.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Hazel. She was the one that had convinced him to come back. While she was out mending her relationship with Jimmy, Sean had done some thinking of his own, and this was the right thing to do.

"I do, but I don't want her to freak out." Sean explained as he walked up the driveway and opened the door. "Ellie. Elle." He started searching every room until he walked into her bedroom. "Oh my God. Ellie!" Sean rushed to her side, immediately being covered with blood. Blood was everywhere and it looked like she had been there for a while. Instantly, Sean dialed 911, while tearing off two parts of his shirt, which he tied around her wrists to stop the bleeding. "How could you Ellie. How could you do this to me?"

"So, why are you here?" Jay asked, looking Hazel up and down. He would never tell anyone this, but he thought she was one of the most beautiful girls at Degrassi High.

"I'm minding my business and I'm not your friend, so don't talk to me." She snapped.

"Still mad about Jimmy I see. I can't help that he and Madison hit it off well. She is handy to have around." Jay grinned as Hazel gave him a death stare.

"I said I don't want to talk to you. You're trash. You're garbage and you mean nothing to me." Hazel opened the car door to go see what Sean was doing. She didn't care what he said, spending time with Jay was suffocating her and she hated it.

"Are you ready?" Gianni asked while opening the car door for Manny.

"Just because you're driving me there doesn't mean that I have to talk to you."

"How did Marco take the news?" Gianni continued.

"How do you seem to know everything about my life?"

"I should be apart of it. You know how I feel about you." Gianni tried again.

"Please, don't." Manny looked away.

"What if you just acted on your desires for once and stopped holding everything in?"

"Then, I'd be like you." Manny shook her head. "And I don't need another one night stand. We're here to focus on the trial." She admitted as the car stopped at the courthouse.

"Yeah." Gianni and Manny walked into the courthouse as she sat down and paused suddenly. There was Jacob.

"I don't think I can…"

"I'll help you." Gianni whispered back as an overwhelming feeling of dread surrounded Manny.

"Sean, what's going on?" Hazel walked into the house, looking for him. Hearing what sounded like crying, she followed the sounds until she found Sean … hovering over Ellie's unmoving body. "What happened?" She rushed to his side, trying to consol him.

Sean pushed her off. "No, this is what caused her to do this in the first place. You."

"But I didn't do anything." Hazel protested.

"You … she felt like I was ignoring her for you. If you hadn't come here that last night … she wouldn't have done this." He accused her.

"No Sean. You were supposed to handle this and tell Ellie that … everything was a mistake. What he did … I know we're just friends now."

"No we aren't. No friend would cause this to happen!" Sean yelled.

"Please, let me help. Have you called an ambulance." Hazel moved in closer, hoping that Ellie would get through this.

"Don't you touch her!" Sean covered Ellie's body with his. "It's going to be all right. Shh. I'll protect you." He whispered to Ellie, no longer paying attention to Hazel.

"We heard there was an emergency?" The emergency crew burst in as Hazel was tossed to the side and all eyes were on Ellie. Taking her away on a stretcher, Sean rode in the back of the ambulance and then it was just Hazel and Jay.

(A/N: You wanted more, so I managed to give you more, but let me know what you want to see happen. While the other story was more about Gianni and Manny, this one is going to focus on more characters and whatever "demons" and tortures they are going through, so continue reading! –NL)


	16. I was Stuid, I was Foolish

Chapter Two: I was Stupid, I was Foolish

**Special Thank Yous go out to**:

JANNYFAN, messmeup, and crashetburn. You guys inspire me to keep posting and

without you I probably wouldn't continue, so thank you so much! –NL

"What are you even doing here?" Hazel wondered as she was Jay scurried into the hospital, trying to find Sean and make sure that he was okay.

"I don't answer to nobody."

"Don't think that just because Principal H didn't have any evidence of what you did that I don't know you're responsible for Jimmy being shot. You are such a slimeball and I can't believe that Sean would even consider being your friend again." Hazel spat out, worried about Sean more than Ellie. To have another death at Degrassi would be tragic, but she was more concerned with whether or not it was going to cost her one of her closest friends. If anything happened to Ellie, he would fall apart and he wasn't going to let anyone step in and put the pieces back together.

"Yeah, you're right. Nobody could prove anything." Jay smiled. "I guess if my girl got shot and then came back and decided she didn't want to be with me I'd be bitter … nah." He almost laughed.

"Can you not be a jerk for half a second? We're here because of Sean."

"You mean Elle right?" Jay corrected

"That's what I said. Ellie."

NEW SCENE

"So you say that this supposed rape has happened before?" Jacob's attorney questioned Manny.

"Yes. This wasn't the first time."

"How many times would you say this has happened before?" Mitch continued as Manny struggled to look away from Jacob. Instead she focused on Gianni, her safety her …

"At least once a week from the time I was fourteen until I moved out of the house." Manny responded, trying to concentrate on the case. But she didn't want to. She had spent the past three years trying to forget everything and denying that there was a problem, and now here she was, face to face with her worst nightmare.

"So, you're trying to tell me that this has been happening for a little over two years and you haven't said anything to anyone?" Mitch began as if she was making this entire situation up.

"Yes."

"So, why come forward now? Why not earlier?" He pressed.

"I-I … don't know." I stumbled. "My friend witnessed what happened and he thought I should so … I don't know." She finished weakly.

"And this friend is a male?" Manny nodded. "How long have you known him?"

"Just this year. He's my boyfriend's brother." She explained.

"And have you had many boyfriends in the past three years? Approximately how many would you say you've had?" Mitch continued asking before Manny could think through his first question.

"Just three." I answered, breathing deeply. JT, Spinner, and Marco.

"Two? And how many guys have you had sex with?"

"Excuse me?" My mouth opened in disbelief. Who did this guy think he was.

"Objection." My lawyer stood up.

"Sustained. Is there a point to this question Mr. Denisovich?" Judge Orville wondered.

"Yes. I'm getting there."

"Ms. Santos, please answer the question." The judge persisted.

"Um … five."

"So, you've only had three boyfriends, but you've been intimate with five boys?" Mitch repeated as I nodded, almost ashamed. It sounded bad, but it really wasn't. "Would you consider yourself promiscuous?"

"No."

"But that's not what your classmates say." Manny held her breath as she watched Craig walk into the courtroom on cue. Craig _and _Sully.

"I was young then and I made some mistakes." She tried to explain, but knew that it looked bad.

"And how many relationships have you destroyed Ms. Santos? How many couples have you broken up."

"Objection." My lawyer called out again.

"Mr. Denisovich this is not relevant." Judge Orville stated before adding, "Proceed."

"How often have you been intimate with someone? Approximately how many times in a month?" Mitch questioned, against Manny's wishes.

"I- I don't know …"

"Would you say one a week, twice a week, more than three times a week?"

"It varies." Manny spat out, trying to avoid the question.

"Okay, then this month. How many times have you had intercourse this month? One a week, twice a week, or more than three times each week?"

"More than three times." Manny admitted with a sigh.

"Thank you." Mitch smiled as if he had proved something.

NEW SCENE

Hazel smiled, Jimmy was hers again and they were going to a movie tonight. She even let him pick, which was so unlike her, but she was elated, on cloud nine. Ringing the doorbell, Hazel tried to ignore the fact that there was another car in his yard. He wasn't alone.

"Yeah, I'm coming!" Jimmy yelled from the inside, hiding the rest of his stash. He cursed himself. He hadn't planned out his timing correctly and didn't get to try out his new stuff … he was still trying to get rid of the coke, which he had spent a fortune on.

"Who is that?" Madison wondered as Jimmy wrapped his hand over her mouth.

"You don't say anything. Get the hell outta here." He pushed her towards the back door, but changed his mind. "No. Stay here. Stay in this closet and don't go anywhere until after we leave. Can you do that?" Jimmy asked.

"Of course." Madison kissed him, amazed that a guy had taken the initiative to take charge and not be intimidated by her 'bad ass' image.

"Look. I said no kissing. No touching, no sex. You're just here to help me get rid of that okay?" Jimmy pointed to his stash.

"You'll change your mind." Madison, stroked his stomach, feeling his abs, before hiding in the closet. The doorbell rang again.

"It's me!" Hazel yelled, hoping that he didn't forget about their date.

"Sorry." Jimmy opened the door, motioning for her to come in. "How have you been?"

"Good." Hazel hugged him warmly. "So, who's car is that out in the front?" Hazel looked up at him happily.

"My grandfather's. Something old." Jimmy shrugged.

"Your family is here?" Hazel perked up all of a sudden. "Where are they."

"No. They left the car here and went on some vacation. You know how they do." Jimmy wrapped his hand around Hazel's waist and led her to his newest gift from his father, a 2006 Mercedes Benz. "Like the car?" He wondered, opening the door for her.

"You know I'm into materialistic stuff." Hazel admitted.

"So you won't be needing this then." He held up a silver necklace with a small diamond teardrop.

"Of course." Hazel reached for it and he pulled it away, jokingly.

"Come here. Let me put it on." Hazel turned her back to Jimmy, lifting up her hair. "How does it feel?"

"Perfect." Cupping his face, Hazel kissed Jimmy slowly as Madison snuck out of the back of the house. She had been watching Hazel and Jimmy the whole time and was not going to stand for it. She wanted Jimmy all to herself.

NEW SCENE

"I can't believe that happened. I am so mortified." Manny cried, as Gianni rushed to keep up with her.

"Why are you embarrassed? You told the truth. You explained what happened."

"But no one believes me. They were all looking at me like I was some kind of … slut. Especially after what Sully said about me. And when Craig goes up there … I thought he loved me. That was the only reason why I did it and Sully was just one big mistake. Spinner was my boyfriend and--"

"Shh. It's okay." Gianni held her tightly, kissing her hair. "You don't have to explain any of them to me. It doesn't matter." He paused, holding onto her shoulders, so that he could look at her face to face. "We still have my testimony and Craig might have something good to say about you."

"What, like I was good in bed or on the floor in his case?" Manny shook her head, whispering, "What if they find out that I'm pregnant. What then?" She sighed. "And the whole thing with Craig was a complete mess. I ruined his relationship with Ash and he found out that I was pregnant. I mean, I killed that baby and there's no…" She stopped to regain her composure. "There's no bringing him back or making it better."

"There's no way they can find him innocent Manny. All of the evidence is on our side." They kept walking down the hallway. "I promise I'll protect you. I'll go and kick his ass now if you want." Gianni joked, ecstatic to be so close to Manny now.

"Maybe after the trial." She rested her head on his shoulder." This was probably the closest he'd get to him since she had chosen Marco now, but he knew that she had to feel something. She had to. If she was feeling half of what he did, it would only be a matter of time.

(A/N: I have three reviews, but 85 hits. That's ridiculous. It's not hard to put down two sentences of what you think when I spend hours writing all of these stories. Return the favor and don't be that lazy. I can't go to the preview function, so I'm trying to create custom scene breaks. Make sure and review so I know you want more. La bonita. –NL)


	17. Watching Me, Wanting Me

Chapter Three: Watching Me, Wanting Me

(a/n: Review and … if you like the titles of these chapters, they come from Mariah Carey's _We Belong Together_ and Evanescence's _Haunted_. So, check those out too! –NL)

"So, how does it feel being sober?" Hazel asked as she and Jimmy took a break from playing paintball.

"It's cool. I would never be able to focus at this, so it's worth it." Jimmy nodded, happy to still have on his helmet, which hid his emotions and prevented the truth from surfacing.

"And those are the only perks?"

"And the main reason is you. I can't stand you hating me."

"And I thought you didn't care." Hazel hugged me suddenly. "I'm so proud of you." I smiled as she smeared paint all over my goggles.

"Cheater!" I yelled, chasing after her in the distance.

NEW SCENE

"Please Ellie." Sean pleaded, crying over her. He couldn't believe it himself. He was crying, but things were looking up. The doctor's thought that they had everything under control last night … when he told Hazel to butt out of his life.

"Well, since you either can't or won't talk to me, I've got some things to say to you." Sean took in a deep breath. "When I said we should break up, I didn't mean it, well I meant it, but I really love you Ellie. When you promised that you wouldn't … do this again, and then you did, it really pissed me off."

"I know leaving you for Wasaga was a sucky thing to do, but I had to, but if I could do it all over again, I'd sacrifice my well-being for you. Ellie. I love you and I don't know why you would think that I cared less for you somehow. No mattered how pissed off I am at you, I would never want you to go do something like this."

"Having a heart to heart." Ashley walked in as Sean turned away, embarrassed.

"Don't sneak up on me like that. We were having a private conversation."

"Look, Ellie's my friend too. If memory serves correct, she was my friend before she was yours." Ashley shot back as Sean grabbed his hoodie and walked away.

"Let me know when you're out of here."

NEW SCENE

"So, you and Ms. Santos were never officially together. In fact, she is the one who broke apart your own relationship, right?" Mitch Denisovich continued as Manny struggled not to bury her head in her hands. This was so mortifying. If her mother had never died, then this would've never happened. If Jacob had never beat and violate her like he did …

"Actually, I'm still in the process of repairing that relationship." Craig looked directly at Manny, his eyes smiling. But as he looked at her, rather than feeling a sense of triumph like he thought he would feel, Craig felt really guilty.

"So, you would say that Ms. Santos was promiscuous?"

"Well … not really."

"What does 'not really' mean?" Mitch's tone changed. He hadn't brought this kid in to change his story now and destroy the case.

"Manny was a sweet and innocent girl before she fell in love with me. After our fling ended, I think I ruined apart of her and she had failed relationships after failed relationships after that—like all teenagers do." Craig added quickly.

"But you don't deny that she has had sex with numerous guys at such a young age?" Mitch chimed in again.

"All I know are rumors that are spoken. I know that if she had never met me her credibility wouldn't be spoiled." Craig apologized, no longer looking at the attorney in front of him, but at Manny. He could still see a glimpse of the girl that fell for him and instantly felt guilty for how he had treated her, how he had pushed her away to dim his own desire for her because he knew it could never be.

"Is that all Mr. Manning?" Mitch wondered with clear irritability in his voice.

"Yes sir."

"Okay. I'd like to call Marco del Rossi to the stand." Manny's mouth opened in surprise as her now-fiancé made his way up to the stand. He hadn't mentioned anything to her and she barely even wanted to tell him about the case.

NEW SCENE

Hazel giggled as she and Jimmy walked back into his apartment. "You're just mad because I beat you at everything today."

"No I _let _you win. Did you actually think you beat me at basketball for real? I'm going to the pros." Jimmy made a fake shot before turning on the lights in his house. There was Madison on the living room couch.

"Hey." She smiled without making any effort to move.

"What are you doing here?" Hazel frowned looking back at Jimmy for support.

"Can I talk to you in private?" Jimmy grabbed Madison by the arm as she looked back at Hazel and smiled.

"Ouch. You're ruining my high." Madison laughed. "You and your girlfriend are cute, real cute. But I came here for my part of the deal."

"There is no deal if you keep pulling stuff like this."

"Oh, you're upset. It's always better when you're angry, when you push me around and rough me up a little." Madison smiled.

"Why don't you go hang out with Jay or some of your friends at the ravine?" Jimmy suggested, wondering how he was going to explain this to Hazel.

"So I can get an STD. Great idea cowboy." Madison sighed and took Jimmy's hand. "Why don't you stop playing around and denying yourself of what you want. I don't care about being in a relationship with you. I really don't. It sucks being alone."

"And you just want to break me and Hazel up. It's that whole misery loves company crap." Jimmy released himself from her grasp. "Not interested."

"Don't worry." Madison scoffed. "Your girlfriend won't be around long. She doesn't understand how it calls us, that it's apart of us now. Even you can't resist."

"Jimmy, what's going on in there?" Hazel called from the living room.

"I'm getting the lock changed on the apartment. I don't know how she got in here, but it won't happen again. I promise." Jimmy wrapped his arms around Hazel, resting his chin on her shoulder as Madison walked by still plotting how she was going to get what she wanted. And she was. She helped Manny get Craig because Ashley didn't deserve him and now it was her turn to fake some happiness.

NEW SCENE

"I know for a fact that Manuela Santos can be trusted. She's a beautiful person and never meant to break up any relationships." Marco began, divulging every intimate conversation between the two, but leaving out the fact that they were engaged.

"And what's Ms. Santos's condition now?" Mitch sneered mischievously.

"I don't know what you mean by condition."

"Is Ms. Santos or is she not with child?" He spat out as the jury gasped. "Yes she is. Yet, this isn't the first time Manuela Santos was pregnant. At the age of fourteen, yes fourteen she was impregnated and had an abortion." Mr. Denisovich held up the papers as proof.

"Yes. Manny is pregnant."

"And was this my client's doing too?" Mitch Denisovich scoffed.

"No." Marco took in a deep breath and looked at Manny who was shaking her head. She knew what he was about to do and she didn't want the del Rossi's to find out this way. "She's pregnant with my child. The child is mine."

NEW SCENE

"Ellie, you've got to hear me. Please." Sean begged again, running his hands around her face. "Please."

"Sean?" Hazel called walking into Ellie's room with flowers.

"No." Sean shook his head, walking to the door as if he was going to shut her out.

"You can't just cut me off because Ellie went and did this. Right now you need someone to be there for you Sean. Whatever happens, I promise I'm not trying to get between you and Ellie. I know how much you love her. And I love Jimmy." Sean's expression softened as Hazel mentioned Jimmy and he moved to the side.

"Wow. Ellie's really loved." Hazel noticed the arrangement of flowers all over the room while handing Sean the flowers. He placed them beside her bed.

"What's it to you?"

"I don't understand why she would do something like this." Hazel began, ignoring Sean's earlier comment. "How could she do this to you?"

"To me? I'm the reason for this. All of it." Sean sighed.

"You know you can talk to me about it. I'll never be able to thank you for how much you've been there for me since Jimmy and I broke up and got back together again." Hazel smiled. "You were right all that time and I'm glad that it was you I talked to and no one else."

"I don't Ellie would appreciate this." Sean answered as Hazel hugged him, sending a ton of warmth through his body. Hazel had become one of his best friends in the last few months and it wasn't fair for him to treat her like this, like he didn't care. Because he did care. Maybe a little too much.

"Ellie has your heart. I know that." Hazel smiled sadly. "And Jimmy's sober!" She perked up, pretending like they didn't just have a moment.

"That's good." Sean smiled. He was happy to see her happy.

NEW SCENE

"We the jury find Mr. Jacob Bloomberg … not guilty." Manny almost passed out when she heard the verdict. Gianni held onto her tightly as she struggled not to try.

"I'm fine. I'm good." She lied, watching Jacob walk by smugly. This was the end. If he decided to rape her again, she couldn't even take him to court. Damn that double jeopardy.

"Manny, are you--" Marco began.

"I'm not going back there. I'm not living with him."

(A/N: Comments and questions … reviews! Who you do want Manny to end up with? What do you think will happen with Jimmy and Hazel? –NL)


	18. Previews and Spoilers

For a link to the **FULL **sequel check this out:

fanfiction

.net/s/2447987/1/La_Tortura_Wild_Horses_Two

* * *

Previews and Spoilers

(a/n: Review and … if you like the titles of these chapters, they come from Mariah Carey's _We Belong Together_ and Evanescence's _Haunted_. So, check those out too! –NL)

* * *

"Where do you get off?" JT York yelled, anticipating this moment since Liberty broke the news.

"JT back off. What's your deal?" Peter shrugged it off, continuing walking like everything was cool, like he wasn't the one responsible for Liberty's latest crisis.

"You knocked up Liberty. You ruined her life and now you want to walk away like it's _nothing? _Did you think you were getting away with it? Well, you're not." JT pushed Peter again, this time knocking him into one of the lockers.

"I don't want to have to hurt you York. This is adult business. I'm handling it." Peter shook it off, preparing himself for JT's next hit.

"By being a father?"

"By getting rid of it."

* * *

"I told you not to call here. Don't do stuff like this. Don't get involved ... unless you're calling about the money. Do you have it?" Manny wondered. Gianni looked over the list that Heather had made, but his mind was too unfocused to really concentrate on what she was writing, so he improvised.

"I want to see you again. There's a school dance here--"

"I can't." Manny answered abruptly knowing that someone was listening to her conversation at this very moment.

"Sure you can. I'll come by and--"

"Go with Heather." Manny shot back scornfully.

"I'm trying to get you out of this."

* * *

"You can't hide from me forever." Jimmy proclaimed, tracking Hazel down in the hallway.

"Stalking is a felony."

"Not if it's in your own school. I belong here too." He responded. "What I don't get is why you freaked out on me."

"We're _seventeen _years old, that's why. Do you have any idea how many young marriages fail? And the pressure it puts on you? The minute I marry you, my family will cut me off. I'll have to pay for college myself. I'll only see them when I visit. I'm not ready for that." Hazel spat out a bunch of bogus excuses.

"I just want you to know that I love you." Jimmy explained.

"By trying to cover up whatever's going on with you? Jimmy, this isn't working out. This isn't how I wanted it to be at all." Hazel took her seat in Simpson's Media Ethics class with Jimmy beside her.

"So you want to break up?"

* * *

fanfiction

.net/s/2179854/1/Wild_Horses


End file.
